


A Walk in the Light of the Moon

by LuciferZ



Category: TsukiPro the Animation, ツキウタ。 | Tsukiuta.
Genre: Astral Projection, Canon Compliant, Canon Universe, Elemental Magic, Ex-idol group, Friendship, Gen, Magic, Mystery, Other Worlds, Reincarnation, Slice of Life, Spirits, Sunpro too, Talk of life, Telepathy, Theme-based, Tsukipro appears at the Epilogue, Tsukiuta Character POV, World Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:01:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 48,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23579599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuciferZ/pseuds/LuciferZ
Summary: They walk with the moon their songs had reached.Looking forward to the time the cycle will be complete.
Kudos: 11





	1. Walk 1: Mutsuki Hajime: Character Development

**Author's Note:**

> This is the sequel to A Walk with the Demon Lord, but can be read without it. The walk with Shun that Hajime references is from there.
> 
> Each chapter will be focused on a theme for each of the Tsukiuta idols, in no particular order.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hm. What changed for you? Tell me about your character development.”
> 
> “I suppose I’ve had to rediscover myself. While it was hard at first, I am grateful for the opportunity. To lose and find myself again."

“Hey Ou-sama. Sorry I'm late. I kept you waiting, but I'm here now." 

Hajime looked up from his bed where the person he had been waiting for had finally made his appearance.

He just sighed.

“Well…you look better so…”

The Black King gave a shrug and got up in one smooth movement, giving a nod to the curious person.

“…Let’s go.”

* * *

He yawned as he walked along with Hajime in the streets.

“Tired?”  
  
Hajime questioned.

The white haired man with blue eyes hummed.

“Not really. Besides, words have power. If you say you’re tired you’ll really be tired.”

“That’s why I made it a question.”

Hajime said in amusement.

  
  
“Want me to carry you like a princess?”

“Oi.”

The other man now looked annoyed.

Hajime chuckled.

“I was joking. The ‘princess’ you is a thing of the past.”

“Why did I even have to be the princess? I envisioned Shun as the princess. I even wrote about Procella’s Pretty Pure Princess, Shun. Why did my vision not come true?”

The blue-eyed man said almost grumpily.

“Shun was already the princess in Procella’s Drama CD. That is reality.”

Hajime said, as blunt as always.  
  


  
“…Damn. My fan fantasy…my cute Shun…”  
  
  


He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets.

He looked as if he was wondering what to ask the Black King.

“…It is still sometimes surreal that I know you idols.”

Hajime blinked.

“A lot of things happened. I regret none of it.”

Hajime said confidently.

He blinked, then responded with a nod.

“Hm. It has led us to this point in time after all.”

Hajime looked at him.

He had never thought he would meet anyone who did things alone more than him.

The Universe liked to prove him wrong.

The white haired man who was similar to Shun but not quite had his head raised to the sky.

Like he was already moving to the future, so he could ascertain they were on the right path…

…Before he brought everyone along with him.

Blue eyes blinked as if feeling his stare, moving to the side curiously.

“Yes Hajime?”

A musical voice that had once captured the hearts of millions of people in their Japan.

Hajime reached out and ruffled his hair.

“…Hey. Don’t ruffle my hair like I’m a kid.”

The white haired man with blue eyes squinted a disbelieving eye.

“But you act like a kid.”

Hajime told him.

“…No denial.”  
  
He said simply.

He yawned again, for it took him energy to astral project to another world and stay there.

“Too many people?”

Hajime asked, knowing people were beings of energy, and he was sensitive to energy.

“That could be it. Let’s move to someplace more quiet.”

The white haired man said, set his intention with his hand on Hajime’s shoulder, and teleported them away.

* * *

“Where are we?”

Hajime asked.

“I don’t know. I set my intention on a quiet place.”

He said as he walked along the trees.

“…!”

“Hm?”

Hajime tilted his head.

  
  
Blue eyes seemed to light up even in the dark.

“Let’s go, Hajime!”  
  
The blue eyed man said and grabbed his wrist, pulling him along.

“Oi -!”

Hajime said for who would dare grab his wrist?

Apparently there was someone who did.

Even Shun had not done so before, as far as he remembered.

He looked in surprise as if he had read Hajime’s thought.

Then he seemed to shrug it off with his nonchalance, as they headed deeper into the forest.

“I knew it!”

  
The grip on his wrist loosened as they came into a clearing full of colourful green lights.

“Fireflies.”  
  
And then he gave a soft smile.

“The color of Shun’s eyes.”

“…”

“How magical.”  
  
Hajime finally settled on a sentence.

“Well let’s move closer.”

  
He said and advanced forward but his companion protested.

“No, let’s just watch the magical lights from here.”

It was then that Hajime remembered.

“Oh. Fireflies are insects.”

He said in amusement.

The other man stilled.

“...Yes they are…but they’re pretty as I view them from afar.”

“They’re prettier if you come closer. It’s even more magical if you _come closer_.”

Hajime said, but the other man dodged before he was able to grab his wrist.

“…”

“No no nope I am fine right here.”

The blue eyed man said.

“…”

Hajime had half a mind to use his Element of Darkness to wrap around the man afraid of insects and place him right in the middle of the sparkling fireflies the color of the Demon Lord’s eyes.

And now his blue eyed companion was really backing away.  
  
“I swear, if you do that Hajime, I will freeze you. And – And –“

He spluttered as if trying to think up some good threat as Hajime smirked.

“Then you better stop glowing angel, or they’ll be attracted to your light.”

The Black King said and he realized he was indeed glowing in his nervousness.

“…”

Hajime watched in amusement as he ran away from the fireflies.

“HAJIME I SWEAR – I JUST WANTED A PEACEFUL TALK – AHHH -?!”

It seemed a firefly had landed on his manly companion.  
  
His manly companion cried out, materialized his angel wings, and flew away into the sky.

Hajime blinked at the light sweeping through the sky.

“…he really flew away.”

“…Pft -! Haha- hahahahah -!”  
  


  
The Black King spent his time laughing in the forest so he wouldn’t laugh in front of his friend later.

* * *

“Sniff sniff……so mean….Shuuuuuuuuun!”

The blue eyed man sniffed alone later.

“Ou-sama is mean, I just wanted a peaceful talk and nice walk, why did it end up like that?”  
  
He complained to himself, checking himself warily just to be sure no fireflies had followed him.

Hajime was probably laughing his ass off in the forest.

He had known Hajime had a penchant for teasing most would be surprised by.

And maybe he was remembering their past and how he had run away from that butterfly.

But he was having such a magical time admiring the fireflies the light of Shun’s magical eyes.

So he pouted and curled up, sulking to himself.

Maybe he should go visit Shun, the Demon Lord would be happy to comfort him with cuddles.

Just as he thought that, Hajime appeared in front of him, the swirls of darkness falling away from him.

He found himself so envious that they could do elemental magic in physical reality in their world.

Then he realized and pouted, turning away.

“Sorry, I went overboard.”

  
Hajime said, and he responded.

“Hmph. Surely you did not come here without an offering.”  
  
He said haughtily.

Something nudged against him and he glanced.

It was ice cream.

“Here’s my offering, Kami-sama.”

  
The Black King said in bemusement.

He could never resist ice cream.  
  
  
“...Well. I suppose I’ll forgive you.”

He said as he received the ice cream and began eating it happily.

Hajime sat down beside him, looking at him.

“What?”

“…Nothing. Come to think of it, it is surreal to have you here as well.”

“…Ah. You can see me in physical reality right? Even though I’m in spirit form.”

He asked to clarify, and Hajime nodded.

“Yeah. Shun opened our eyes.”

  
“So cool.”

He said wistfully as he continued eating his ice cream.

“…Damn. You caught me so off guard with that prank I forgot what we were going to talk about.”

“Isn’t it fine? It’s not necessary to talk about anything. Just enjoying the company of your companion is nice.”

The Black King yawned and ruffled the white hair and the white haired man frowned.

“You really like my hair.”

“…It’s soft and fluffy.”

“It is?”  
  
He said curiously raising his hand to touch his own hair.

“…Well, it’s pretty soft.”

Hajime patted his head with his hand then withdrew.

“What did you and Shun talk about?”

He mused.

“Just the virus on the Earth I live on, humans, and doing what you love.”

“Sounds like you two.”

Hajime said casually.

“What do you want to talk about?”

He mused some more.

“Well. How do you feel about all this, Hajime? The storm, the situation, the new idols…”

Hajime thought.

“Nothing special. Things have always been chaotic, it’s no surprise. But like Shun said, the storm will pass.”

He said, then continued.

“As for the new idols, I’m interested, but not expecting that much. They’ll come when it’s time.”

He nodded, eating his ice cream.

“Hm. What changed for you? Tell me about your character development.”

The writer said with a playful smile.

Hajime looked amused.

“I suppose I’ve had to rediscover myself. While it was hard at first, I am grateful for the opportunity. To lose and find myself again. I also became aware of my friends, Gravi, and Procella. And how much Haru has supported me. And I became more interested in Shun.”

Hajime said unexpectedly.

Blue eyes gained a glint of interest.

“Oh? More interested in Shun?”

Hajime coughed.

“…It’s not like that, probably. With your arrival, and him being more open with his magical doings, sharing them with us, even helping our sight to awaken…it’s just, ‘what else is he hiding’ ‘what sort of person is he really’, those kind of questions of curiosity.”

Hajime said and his mysterious companion smiled.

“Fufu. Really.”

“…Oi, don’t ‘ship’ us again.”

Hajime pushed his hand against the blue eyed man’s head, and he just smirked.

“Why not? I like it when two people, preferably of the same gender because it’s more interesting that way, are equals. You and Shun are pretty much equal. Wouldn’t it be an interesting relationship?”

Hajime stared at him.

“First, Shun is more interested in you now. Second, he’s the Demon Lord with unlimited magical power. Third…”

Hajime paused.

“…I’m sure there’s a third reason but I can’t find one right now. Man or woman, romance is a handful. I’m not really interested.”

The Black King said, and added.

“Even if our agency didn’t have a love ban policy.”

“But if it’s forbidden it’s even more interesting.”

The blue eyed man pointed out with a smirk.

Then he leaned back, hands above his head.

“But I agree. Romance is way too much trouble. I have no interest in a romantic relationship now either.”

He said, blue eyes slightly clouded as he stared up into the night sky.

They spent a while in peaceful silence, before he spoke.

“I’ll do my best.”

“…Hm?”

Hajime shifted his gaze to him.

Blue eyes looked seriously.

  
“…to be, more like the me that once existed in this world, that you guys say people admired.”  
  
He paused, then smiled.

“…To be someone I can be proud of.”

Then he turned a playful smile to Hajime.

“Maybe it’s time for me to undergo character development?”

  
“…Aa. You are always making things…bringing others through their character development. Why not you?”

Hajime said, then smirked as he said boldly.

“After all, you’re literally a _character_ now.”

  
  
He gave a mock sigh.  
  
“As blunt as always, Ou-sama.”  
  


Hajime just shrugged.

  
“Don’t call me that I would say, but you’d do that anyway.”

“You know me so well.”

  
  
He smirked with the confidence Hajime thought he should show more often.  
  
Then he stood up, shoving his hands into his pockets like he liked to do.

“…It’s been a pleasure talking to you Hajime, somehow you turned the conversation towards me…”

He raised his hand to his chin, staring in thought.

“Why?”

Hajime stared.

“Why…no particular reason. I felt like it.”  
  


“Hm.”

He acknowledged with a nod of his head.

Then he smiled.

“Walks are nice. Taking some time out with someone who gets what you’re talking about…I wonder if I should take walks with the rest of Gravi and Procella?”  
  
He pondered with a smile.

“They wouldn’t be opposed to it. You don’t spend a lot of time with each of them, so it would be good.”  
  
Hajime gave his opinion on the matter.

“Is that so.”

The blue eyed man chuckled and walked away, raising a hand as his form shimmered away.

“See you…Hajime. I look forward to your character development in the future.”


	2. Walk 2: Satsuki Aoi: Growth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You really have grown. If you’re like this now, I wonder what Yoru is like.”
> 
> “Yes! And you being able to say you love people too, you’ve grown too!”

“You’re here.”

He blinked at where Aoi seemed to be already prepared for his arrival.

“Yes I am.”

“Kami-sama is here.”

“…Yes I am.”

Aoi smiled brightly and he chuckled, gazing in amusement.

“Where do you want to go for a walk today?”

* * *

“Ah, cherry blossom trees.”

“They haven’t bloomed yet, but spring is coming.”

Aoi said with a gentle smile.

The white haired man with blue eyes smiled back.

“Hm. Aoi you were so excited to meet me. You even came to my room to remind me.”

  
Aoi felt like he should be embarrassed but he actually wasn’t~

“Ehehe. When Hajime-san told us, we were like , ‘a walk with Kami-sama?! A miracle’!”

“…What’s with that…”

“Because~you spend soooo much time with Hajime-san and Shun-san but hardly any time with us.”

Aoi said, pouting slightly and he smiled with a shrug.

“I told you, Hajime and Shun take the initiative and come to me, I don’t go to them. Though I do call them for spirit work related matters.”

He mused and Aoi frowned.

“Yes that part you said there, man who doesn’t want his name revealed! Why can’t you call us for spirit work related matters?”

“Ahhh………………it’s just Hajime and Shun are so reliable, especially Shun. …my apologies. I’ll call you guys next time.”

“Mou! Kami-sama!”

“Sorry sorry. And please don’t call me that in public.”

He sighed with a hand to his head and Aoi pouted but relented with a smile.

“…Anyway Aoi, you seem freer now.”

“Hm?”

“You show your emotions more freely. Last time you were like the perfect prince or kind guy.”

  
  
Aoi smirked.

“I think we all changed as a result of the extraordinary things we experienced. My contact with you in your world, when I remembered it…I realized I had been keeping a lot of emotions deep inside for my image.”

The man with blue eyes lighter than his blinked.

“Wow serious talk. Ah I mean…I see. We talked honestly about that, didn’t we? We both were hurt as a result of a misunderstanding, but we were able to share openly with each other when we met again. I’m so glad it turned out alright in the end.”

He said, closing his eyes with a grateful smile.

“…Uwaaaah~~~! K-Kami-sama -!”

Aoi smiled brightly and hugged him.

“Oi -?! Have you been influenced by Shun?!”

He said, wrapping one arm around his friend but he had his blue eyes looking away in embarrassment.

“Too bad Kami-sama, this is all me.”

“…you really like calling me that don’t you…”

“Yes! Hajime-san called you that during your walk so it’s indirectly saying we can call you that now! Even if you won’t let us call you by name since there are people watching~”

Aoi smiled mischievously.

Ice blue eyes raised their gaze to the sky.

“Aoi wow. What happened to the Aoi I knew?”

“He’s still here~he just has new sides now.”

“Yes yes…”

He sighed with a fond smile, running a hand through Aoi’s hair.

He let Aoi hug him for a while more, before saying.

“Alright that’s enough. I’m starting to get embarrassed.”

“I want Kami-sama to get embarrassed though~?”

“Don’t push it.”

  
He said and pushed Aoi gently back.

“You hidden prankster.”

Aoi smiled for his dear friend accepted him even if he was a hidden prankster~

“Don’t feel too bad, Kami-sama! Even Arata was surprised.”

Aoi said and he smiled, seeing his friend’s new confidence.

“You really have grown. If you’re like this now, I wonder what Yoru is like.”

Aoi’s blue eyes seemed to sparkle.

  
“I won’t spoil the surprise~”

He laughed, enjoying seeing Aoi so free with expressing himself in his new self.

“Amazing. Anyway back to the current situation. Why did you choose this place, Aoi?”

He asked curiously, and Aoi smiled with the gentleness in his soul.

“Somehow, I thought of the old man who said idols had an expiration date, the one in Arata’s Drama CD. That idols were like cherry blossoms…”

Aoi closed his eyes as if recalling the memory.

“…beautiful, but fleeting. Transient.”

“Yeah.”

The other blue eyed man said as he looked at Aoi.

Aoi blinked as he opened his eyes, then he confessed sheepishly.

“I have a reason for bringing us here………but it’s evading me at the moment. Perhaps Kami-sama could tell me.”

He said, and met the blue eyes the color of ice.

“…Perhaps you’ve been feeling the impermanence of things, since things have been changing so much. Things have been truly unpredictable. Perhaps you’re feeling how long more can you guys be idols, and how long do you guys have with us, the new idols?”

“Ah…perhaps I was.”

Aoi said with a melancholic smile.

But the white haired blue eyed man smiled serenely.

“It is fine. To be honest, I have been wondering that too. Was it you or Arata who said, even if it’s fleeting it’s fine if before they fall, they’re in full bloom? Even when you guys are no longer idols, your CDs with your music will still exist, your songs will still exist, they’ll continue to impact lots of people.”

The man from the other world where their music had reached smiled at him reassuringly.

“…And, I don’t know how long we have with you guys after we become idols this year. But, I’m already older than Shun~I’m Kai’s age. So I won’t be like your junior or senior in the idol industry, and neither will the rest of us. We’ll be competing on the same level, our time will flow in the same way. However much time we have left, we’ll spend it together. Who knows? Maybe years down the road, we might even retire together.”

“Ah…”

Aoi spoke his name in awe.

“Yes. There are idols in my world who are in their late 20s or 30s but are still idols. Taylor Swift is 30, Ed Sheeran is 29, LiSA is 32, FLOW are in their 40s, and I saw them at their AFA concert in 2017. So you have nothing to worry about.”

The white haired man chuckled and placed his hand on Aoi’s shoulder, with soft blue eyes.

“…Anyway. Even after you guys are no longer idols, and maybe us as well, we’ll still be friends. Always.”

“…Kami-sama -!”

Aoi cried out and couldn’t resist hugging him again!

“Uwaaah Kami-sama your words touched my heart, I’m so touched! I didn’t even realize it had been on my mind but you brought it up and turned it over and showed me no matter what it’s going to be alright I’m so grateful thank you!”

“Hey hey…”

He laughed sheepishly and ruffled Aoi’s hair.

“Uwaaah, I love you~!”

“Yeah…love you too.”

  
From being the perfect prince, kind but shy, speaking of growing…

To expressing his feelings honestly with excitement radiating off him…

Even being able to say he loved his friend so confidently…

Aoi really had grown.

Aoi giggled and smiled radiantly up at him.

“Yes! And you being able to say you love people too, you’ve grown too!”

He blinked in surprise at Aoi’s smirk.

“...Ah…I have.”

He said peacefully.

  
Aoi soon drew back, raising his content gaze to the trees that had yet to bloom.

“I wonder if by the time these cherry blossoms bloom, you will be an idol?”

“Ha…I think it may take a bit longer than that.”

“Eh…well it’s definitely this year right?”

“…Yeah. Definitely.”

He said in conviction and Aoi’s smile brightened.

“I’m so happy. Hey, Hajime-san said you were leader of that famous idol group when you were here in this world. Tell me more~”

He gave a deadpan look.

“That King…surprisingly can’t keep his mouth shut at times.”

He said so seriously that Aoi burst out into joyous laughter.

“Hahaha! You’re the only one who would say that!”

“He’s Ou-sama, but I’m Kami-sama. He’s the King, but I’m the God who travelled to this world.”  
  
The white haired man with blue eyes said proudly then coughed as if he couldn’t help but feel embarrassed at his own statement.

“…Kidding. The King is great except for that prank he pulled on me. Anyway. What do you want to know?”

He asked curiously.

“Hm…what was it like, being known nationwide~?”

“…”

He closed his eyes, delving into the memories he had kept locked away.

“…It was fine. It was many things. An absolute honor. Fun. Exciting. At times, pressurizing. I was a teenage boy…”

He smiled wryly.

“It touched my heart, and I’m sure the others’ too, that our music was able to make so many people happy. After all…..everything is energy. The energy of love, light, we put into our music as we sang from our souls…reverberated across people’s souls, touched their hearts and was thus shared with the people important to them…I believe that’s how fame comes about. A person or people is able to touch people’s hearts with their words and actions so deeply that it becomes a rippling effect. Of pure loving energy. …That’s how it works, I believe.”

He shrugged with a smile.

“…So, I and my idol group members then, saw it as a consequence, a result, an indication that our intention was felt, and we were doing well. And being young, it was easier to be full of energy and get excited that wow, we were impacting people. And we pushed ourselves forward because we were ambitious guys and somehow it happened.”

He said almost sheepishly.

  
Aoi opened and closed his mouth before he said.

“Kami-sama.”

“…I don’t know if you’re calling me by my decided title or saying that as a saying…”

Aoi chuckled.

“Both~and how about your idol group members? How were they like back then?”  
  
“Hm. They were all…….different. Shu was a quiet guy but passionate inside. Shiki was very independent minded and preferred to do things alone and in his own way. Takaaki liked to be the life of the party. Rei and Roa, I think of their energy like the white and black keys on the piano…or playing the right hand and the left hand. They play different roles but together they’re beautiful music. You can play the right hand and the left hand alone but put together, it’s a beautiful symphony.”

He smiled fondly as he recalled.

“…Seeing them all as leaders of their own idol groups now…somehow I feel a sense of pride, even though my memories…”

He trailed off, then nodded with a smile.

“…Yeah. They were all leaders in their own right even in their teenage years.”

“…Amazing~but, there was one last one right? The other unknown member of your idol group.”

Aoi said almost teasingly.

“…Ah, him huh……….”

Blue eyes blinked twice.

Then they closed, as he went into recall.

“…Like a wall. He stood tall and strong. The voice of reason. ……I don’t remember much. Hm. He wasn’t afraid to pull us back when it was necessary. He was like the bedrock underneath fertile soil.”

He opened his eyes, and then blinked before confessing.

“…That’s all that came to mind. All I can say is……..”

  
He looked out into the distance, past the cherry blossom tree.

“…..He was a very very strong man.”

He chuckled, an amused smile curling his lips.

“Hardly a boy despite his age. His actions spoke of impact and resolution. And an unbreakable will.”

  
  
Aoi smiled as he watched the other man, trying to remember the man with red eyes.

“…Yeah, that’s all for now. I should be going back soon.”

His companion spoke and Aoi said.

“Eh?”

“Look at the time.”

Aoi looked, staring.

“Kami-sama it’s 3.55AM.”

“…2.55AM for me.”

  
The man’s blue eyes were filled with bemusement.

Aoi couldn’t help it.

They were on the topic after all.  
  
So he smiled until the man sighed and said.

“Okay. One last question. Go ahead.”

  
  
Aoi grinned. 

“Yes~so, how is that guy different from Hajime-san?”

The man he liked to call ‘God’ for he had travelled to their world and more, gave him a look.

“That’s actually a hard question……I hardly remember what he was like, and you want me to tell the difference between him and Hajime…”

“Please~Kami-sama.”

  
Aoi gave his best sweet smile.

  
He stared.

Aoi was learning too much from Shun.

Somehow.

“…Okay. Hajime vs him huh………..”

He raised his gaze to the night sky.

“Uh…I suppose, if he were like the bedrock underneath the soil, Hajime would be like the roots of a plant. So Hajime supports growth, by giving his idol group the necessary things for growth, just like the roots give a plant nutrients from the soul.”

He explained, going forth, placing a hand on the yet to blossom tree.

“As for him, he supports the soil which needs to exist _so that the plant can grow there in the first place_. It’s just there, and with the soil supported, the seed can be planted and grow. He’s like that. Solid and strong rock that’s there even if the plant dies or is torn out, but the bedrock still holds strong against the soil, a new plant can always be grown.”

He blinked, then nodded, scratching his hair.

“…That’s the best way I can think of to explain it. I can’t say he’s more resolute than Hajime, or has more conviction, I suppose they just play different roles. If Hajime is regal and looked up to as a King, perhaps he is intense and ruling as a……….”

The blue eyed man trailed off, then yawned.

“….yeah. Anyway I’m sleepy. I went for a walk with Aoi but ended up in an impromptu interview. Is the interview over now?”

Aoi smiled.

“Yes it is!~”

“Good. Is Aoi happy?”

Blue eyes looked at his as he said that.

  
Aoi smiled with his feeling of contentment.

“Yes…”

He said the name of the compassionate man again.

  
“Mm. That’s good.”

The man smiled at him with compassion in his eyes.

Compassion freely chosen.

And not kindness born of expectations.

The man who was free to him, yawned, waving a hand with a smile as he crossed over back to his world.

“Bye Aoi. Next time, we can watch the flowers bloom.”


	3. Walk 3: Haduki You: Leader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You lead yourself very well. You never let anyone tell you what to do. That’s one of the necessary qualities of a leader.”
> 
> “Ah? So you already knew?! And actually, you don’t let people tell you what to do either, regardless of your feelings! So you’re already a leader!”

“You.”

  
He said.

“…Thanks for staying up. I know it’s late.”

“I don’t mind.”

You said, as he headed to the door.

“Let’s go, Kami-sama.”

“…Yeah.”

* * *

They sat by a river under the stars.

  
“Hm? Why this place?”

The blue eyed man asked.

You shrugged.

“You don’t look like you want to walk. So, I thought you’d prefer someplace quiet.”

“…You.”

He murmured.

“…I don’t have anything to talk about in particular. You wanna tell me what’s on your mind?”  
  
You asked.

  
“…Human doubt, I suppose. ALIVE’s stageplay was cancelled…”  
  
He said, raising his gaze to the open night sky.

“…’God, I am here’.”

“…Yeah. That one.”

The man with colors like the moon chuckled with wryness in his eyes.

  
“We don’t know yet. It could just be postponed. God.”

You pointed out.

  
“Ahh…well….”

He smiled.

You was annoyed.

“Oi.”

“…”  
  
He blinked twice.

“Yes?...”

“God, I am here. Kami-sama, I am here! Where are you looking at huh?!”  
  
You expressed his annoyance unabashedly.

Their moon they had sung to reach blinked.

Then he laughed, like he was letting himself relax, and smiled at You.

“Yeah. I’m looking at You. Sparkling sparkling sun.”  
  
He smiled teasingly.

You could throw his hands up into the air.

“Says Sunpro’s leader? Don’t try to distract me.”

“…Oi, don’t mention that here…”  
  
Blue eyes averted their gaze.

“Hah? Well, my name means ‘Sun’ so I have the right to mention it!”

He stared, then turned away with a huff.

“…Oi. Are you sulking?”

“I am not.”

  
He said as he sulked the slightest bit.

  
“What is this. I did not expect You to mention that at all. You really is You.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying at all. Why can’t I say the truth?”

You asked but the man just went on another topic.

“You, we are by a nice sparkling calm river which you took me to, so why is our conversation like this?”

He pointed out and You frowned.

“I don’t know? Ahh, because I’m annoyed!”

“Why is You annoyed?”

Blue eyes looked at him curiously.

You didn’t even know why he was annoyed.

“…I seriously don’t know!”

Blue eyes blinked again.

“…You, if you don’t know why you’re annoyed do you want to just cuddle?”

He asked and You stared.

“How did you come to that conclusion?!”

“…Well, you don’t know why you’re annoyed, and if you’re annoyed, this tension will continue in our conversation. So we should just cuddle your annoyance away!”

Their moon said, brightening.

You seriously wanted to shove him into the water.

  
“That would be mean, You.”

  
  
“…”

  
  
You sighed.

Why was he annoyed?

He didn’t even know.  
  
  
Because the other man was not paying attention to him?

Because he was keeping things to himself?

They were friends, damn it.

Blue eyes blinked and looked into the flowing water.

“I wish I could flow like the river.”

“…”

“Just flow…bereft of all worries…naturally…simply…smoothly…”

“…”

He closed his blue eyes, raising his head to the sky.

“…Hey. What do you think a leader is?”

You thought of their leader, Shun.

He didn’t even know how, but he was their leader despite not acting like a leader at all.

“…Someone with charm I guess?”

“You has charm. Why are you not a leader then?”

He asked, and You blinked.

“Good point. Someone who leads? Who people look up to. Like Hajime-san.”

“Hajime is the prime example of a leader right? But Shun is also a leader.”

“…Did you two have a fight or something?”

You said what first came to mind.

The man with white hair like Shun stared at him.

  
“Eh? No, not at all. It has nothing to do with Shun.”

You sighed.

“…Well Thank God. I wouldn’t know what to do if the two white things fought.”

  
  
“Yes thank me.”

The man they called ‘God’ said teasingly, then chuckled.

“Anyway. So a leader is simply someone who leads? And whom has charm. Yet, You can be a leader but isn’t a leader.”

He said and You smirked.

“Hah? Me, a leader? I like to be in the spotlight but it’s not my thing. I’ll leave it to you leader guys.”

“Yes that phrase right there, what is a leader guy?”

“…A guy whom with one look you can tell is a leader. Even if he’s not a leader type.”

  
  
He laughed at the reminder of their conversation at him not being a leader type.

“Ah, so it’s just intuition? Charm, being able to lead, and I suppose presence?”

“Yeah I think so. I don’t have the sort of presence that a leader has.”

  
You said, idly brushing the grass on the river bank.

“Anyway…”

“Hm?”

You narrowed his eyes, then grabbed the man’s shoulder and shook him.

  
“We literally call you Kami-sama, we sang so our songs could reach _you_ on the other Earth, like people to a god. God! Why are you even doubting?! _Open your eyes_ , Kami-sama!!!”

Ice blue eyes widened

Then he smiled.

“I was shaking Shun on our walk and now You is shaking me on our walk where we aren’t walking. Wow. The irony. Even Kami-sama gets karma?”

“Oi I don’t like the way you said that, I don’t like the way you said that at all.”

“Hahaha. Thanks You. But you don’t have to cheer me up.”

“Who’s cheering you up?! Seriously, you don’t listen, like Shun!”

  
  
The God smiled and shrugged.

You stared.

He pushed You’s hand gently off his shoulder, looking up at the moon.

“…I suppose, I was recalling… the past. I am the leader of an idol group which broke up after all.”

“A nationwide famous idol group you mean.”

“Which broke up. So, I wonder why I am called to be a leader again.”

  
  
The former idol leader finally confessed.

He exhaled.

  
“…I should take my focus off it. The more I think, the more troubled I feel. I can’t allow that.”

He said firmly as if he was speaking to himself.

“We have our dream after all.”

“…I don’t know what to say.”

You finally said, for he wasn’t going to pretend to respond when he couldn’t.

He received a fond smile in return.

“That’s why I like You. Your honesty.”

  
The white haired man said, leaning back and stretching his legs on the river bank.

“You don’t have to say anything. Thank you for helping me get that off my chest. I’ll deal with it.”

He said, blue eyes turning serious.

“…Is it really so hard for you to rely on others? I know you’re a genius, even Shun and Hajime-san say so, but still…”

You trailed off.

  
“It only has a bit to do with me being a genius. Well, I guess my character still has to develop.”

He said musingly.

  
You thought over what he had said.

With this man, he had to read between the lines.

“…It’s not your fault.”

“…”

“Whatever happened, it wasn’t your fault. So stop blaming yourself.”

“…You.”  
  
The white haired man murmured.

You waited, giving time for the quiet man to respond.  
  


“…Thanks You. No wonder I chose you to be my advisor in that world. You get straight to the point.”

“Does that mean I said the right thing.”

You blurted out before he could stop himself.  
  
  


Damn it.

The man before him somehow had an ability to make people say things they usually wouldn’t say.

Things that showed people’s concern and care towards him, even if they were not the type to show concern or care at all.

  
  
No wonder he was God.  
  
And he didn’t even have to _try_.

The God looked amused.

Softly amused.

Not like Shun’s shameless amusement.

Someone stop him from thinking now.

  
  
And now the white haired _blue_ eyed man’s smile was starting to look like Shun’s.

Fortunately, he knew when to not tease.

  
“…Yes. You said the right thing. Thank you.”  
  
He said in his gentle voice.

You could sigh.

“…No problem.”

  
He finally said.  
  
  
The man even Shun admired nodded and hummed.

“Mm. Even though You says you’re not a leader, I think you’re already a leader in your own right.”

“Huh how.”  
  
You said in disbelief.

  
His companion chuckled.

  
“For me, a leader has to be able to lead himself or herself before he or she can lead others. And I already see that quality in you.”

He turned to You with a smile.

“You lead yourself very well. You never let anyone tell you what to do. That’s one of the necessary qualities of a leader.”

You really should stop staring.

“Ah? So you already knew?! And actually, you don’t let people tell you what to do either, regardless of your feelings! So you’re already a leader!”

You pointed out almost triumphantly.

  
  
The man _giggled._

  
  
“Ehehe. Alright if You says I’m already a leader, if the tsundere You says honestly I’m already a leader –“

“I’m not tsundere!”

“ – then, maybe I really am. A leader.”

  
He said with a more relaxed smile as he laid his hands on the grass.

  
  
You decided that was fine.

Even though he didn’t understand the logic behind it.  
  
The man incomprehensible to him looked more at peace again.

Then he realized, at a sparkle in blue eyes.

“Wait. You just turned the conversation towards me.”

“I did.”

The man looked satisfied.

You almost groaned.

He gave that chuckle again.

“After all, it seems these walks are not only for me, but you Tsukiuta idols.”

“Are they.”

You deadpanned.

The blue eyed man had the audacity to grin at his exasperation.  
  
“Yes. And by the way, You?”

“…What?”

You asked almost warily.

  
  
“A leader has the ability to direct the attention to others.”

“…”

“Just like you did.”

“You mean you.”  
  
You wasn’t even surprised.

Unlike the Demon Lord, he didn’t plan things in advance or even try to direct them.

Yet somehow the odds always ended up in his favor.

  
  
“Shun doesn’t direct things though?”

“Ah? He does. He does it so naturally it takes a while to notice but he does. Yet you…”

“Me?”

The blue eyed man said innocently.

  
  
You let a beat pass, before he decided.

“You’re just magic.”

You said what he had said to him before, in the other world.

  
  
  
The man with ice blue eyes stared for a bit.

“Alright then. I’m magic.”

He said, as if to see how it sounded.

A smile curled his lips.

“That doesn’t sound too bad.”

A peaceful silence with the gentle flowing of the river which reflected the man’s blue eyes.

His noble form reflected off the water’s surface.

_The waxing moon shook my heart_

_If I reach out my hand, the noble form reflected on the water's surface and memory_

_Will now burst open as a precious story_

Just like in Six Gravity’s song.

And he wasn’t even from Six Gravity.

…Wait.

The man’s noble form turned with a smile.

_Stretching over the sky, the Noblesse soleil; a moon in the broad daylight at the east_

_The light from the fleeting moon feels just like a fiery sunlight_

His own words from his own song 3 years ago when they had met, resounded in his mind.

_The fleeting moon._

Fleeting, for their moon was from the other world.

_Fiery sunlight._

Sunlight, for their moon was the leader of Sunpro.

You looked at the former leader of the nationwide famous idol group.

The world that he had shined upon.

…

  
  
Their moon sure had made them wait long.

They had been waiting, waiting for the moon.

For the time for wishes to be granted.

And he was now, finally...

...Here.

  
The Noblesse Soleil, with a heart that aimed for the height.

“…Ah, time flies. Want a hug before I go?”  
  
“Nope. I’m not hugging a guy in front of a river under the stars.”

“Hahaha! As you wish.”

The guy in front of the river under the stars smirked.

  
He walked towards You, laying a hand on his shoulder.

“Thanks You. You’re a great friend.”

“What else am I here for.”  
  
You said and he was not embarrassed.

  
  
The white haired man with amused blue eyes gave a little grin.

“Of course.”

  
  
He said smoothly, restored confidence in his voice as he faded like into a magic portal.

  
“Keep being free like the flow of a river, You. See you, leader.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stretching over the sky, the Noblesse soleil; a moon in the broad daylight at the east  
> The light from the fleeting moon feels just like a fiery sunlight  
> Sweetly, the Noblesse soleil; we now have come to understand  
> Your voice, without the light, won't call for luck
> 
> Once more unto the breach   
> Someone's feelings  
> are projected on the sky's mirror and sparkled
> 
> The world that we faced on, the world that you shined upon  
> We'd like to be chosen to that tall, distant height  
> When our toes lightly touched each other's, I refuse to give it up at any cost  
> That's because we're the chosen ones; We Few, We Happy Few
> 
> A height, a dream world that no one had ever seen before  
> When the time is ripe, let's go, now; the moon of the sixteenth night  
> Standing in wait, sitting in wait, waiting for the moon, waiting for the time for wishes to be granted [3]  
> And thus, we're the chosen ones; We Few, We Happy Few
> 
> \- Haduki You, Sol~Happy!Phew!~
> 
> https://tsukiuta.fandom.com/wiki/Sol~Happy!Phew!~
> 
> Noblesse soleil literally means 'noble sun' (French). Sun. Sunpro~
> 
> 'the moon of the sixteenth night' - You's chapter was posted on 16 April 2020. At night.
> 
> A nice coincidence.


	4. Walk 4: Uduki Arata: Role

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yes Kami-sama. Roles. Kami-sama plays a very important role.”
> 
> “Yes Arata. What important role do I play?”

“Arata.”

“Yes.”

“Arata, I came here for our walk, not to let you play with my hair.”

The blue eyed man said as he sat on the bed, wondering why his hair was being played with.

“It’s only 1.34AM. Yesterday’s walk with You was around 3AM right? It’s still early.”

  
Arata said as he played with the white haired man’s soft hair.

“…And it ended at 4AM, so I decided to come earlier today.”

“Eh. But I want to see why even Hajime-san likes to play with your hair. Please let this humble human play with your hair. Kami-sama.”   
  
Arata said with his usual expressionless face.

  
  
He sighed.

“Well alright…”

He said and sat there, feeling puzzled but accepting it.

“Kami-sama, what are these two soft things? I want to pull them.”

“…The way you said that sounded wrong. It’s just my side hair? It’s just my hair…”

  
  
The man with blue eyes said dryly as Arata pulled on the two locks of white hair on the sides of his head like a kid.

“Aaaa how do you get hair so soft? Is it magic?”

“Since when were you so interested in a guy’s hair? And maybe it is.”

“Well it’s Kami-sama after all. Your energy is like whoaaaaa.”

“Right…”

He said, staring.

“Anyway, have you decided where you want to take a walk today?”

“…Ah, Aoi stole my idea, I decided to take Kami-sama to the cherry blossom trees first, but Aoi did it before me. Ah I guess we had the same idea…..”

  
Arata drawled as he twirled a lock of white hair around his finger.

“Sooo…I have decided to leave it up to fate.”

“…Fate?”

He questioned and Arata nodded.

“Ah, how does it go…magic magic in this world, take us to a place where Kami-sama won’t curl!”

Arata said without warning and they were teleported away.

* * *

“………Arata where are we?”

“Ahhh I don’t know. I think we’re in hell.”

“Hell?”

“I mean, Shun-san’s Underworld.”

“…”

He stared at Arata’s blank expression.

  
“Arata.”

“Yes.”

“We are no longer in the Tsukiuta world?”

“I don’t think we are.”

“…”

‘What kind of walk is this’ was written all over the blue eyed man’s expression.

Arata noticed.

“Oh. Were our walks supposed to be in the Tsukiuta world? Hajime-san and you were in some magical firefly forest though…”

Arata mused.

  
He was completely non-plused about the situation.

Non-plussed.

Was that how it was spelt?

“…”

You wanted to push him into water, and now he wanted to push Arata into lava.

  
Cycle indeed.

Arata blinked.

“Woah. Kami-sama, you look like you want to push me into the lava.”

Kami-sama just smiled.

“Ah sorry I didn’t know we would end up in Shun-san’s Underworld.”

  
Arata said.

“…You asked the magic of the Tsukiuta world, and I think it’s governed by Shun…”

“Oh. No wonder. I thought I would leave it up to fate but in the end it’s just Shun-san.”

  
Arata blinked.

The sound of roaring fire was all around them.

They were on a bridge and below them was lava.

  
Was that a magma fountain?

He thought as he faced God.

  
“Do you really want to take a walk here, Arata? Or talk?”

Arata thought.

“Actually, I don’t want to walk on fire. I want to walk on clouds.”

“…….walk on clouds?”

“Yes. Clouds look so lazy. I want to walk on them and be as lazy as them.”

Arata said with a straight face.

“…There’s a place in my world where you can seem like you’re walking on clouds. Want to go?”

Arata blinked.

He was expecting some magical place but a normal place?  
  
As expected of Kami-sama’s world.

“Yes God take me there.”

Arata said and God smirked.

“As you wish, oh magical human.”

He said and teleported them out of Shun’s Underworld.

* * *

“Wowwwwww…………………………………………..”

Arata stared.

They were standing on some big mirror.

And the mirror reflected the sky with the clouds.

He watched in amusement.

“This is the world’s largest salt lake in Bolivia – another dimension of it. It looks like a big mirror reflecting the sky, doesn’t it?”

“Eh? Another dimension?”

  
  
Arata questioned.

“Yeah. I created another dimension for a while of this place in my world, so we can take a nice peaceful walk, without being distracted by people.”

“Ahhh……..as expected of Kami-sama.”

Arata said as he wandered along the large mirror reflecting the white clouds.  
  
His companion followed him in peaceful silence.

“…Actually, the others took walks with you at night. Ah, but I want to see the clouds…”  
  
Arata mused.

He shrugged.

“It’s fine. Arata if you like clouds then clouds it is.”

Arata smiled and stared up into the clouds in the sky, then looked down into the clouds in the mirror.  
  
“Actually they kind of look like Kami-sama.”

“What.”

“They’re white, soft and fluffy looking in a blue sky.”

Arata told the surprised man bluntly.

  
The white haired man with blue eyes stared at him.  
  
Then he covered his face slightly and looked away.

  
“Don’t say things that embarrass me. Don’t you guys call me your moon? How did I become a cloud?”

  
Arata blinked.

“Hm. Because the same people can play different roles? Ah!”   
  
He said and the other man blinked.

  
“Yes?”

  
“Yay. I found a topic we can talk about.”

“…Oh.”

The cloudy looking fluffy looking white haired man with blue eyes chuckled in his endearing way.

“Were you concerned about that? Don’t worry. These kinds of things come naturally in honest conversation with one another.”  
  
He smiled like the clouds drifting gently along the blue sky.

Arata thought.

He walked along the clouds.

“Yes. Although I want to be as lazy as the clouds, there are times when I want to shine like the stars. Kami-sama can I see the stars?”

Arata asked and the God blinked.

“Why not?”

He said with a smile and snapped his fingers.

The sky above and below them darkened, and the clouds were replaced by sparkling stars in a vast night sky.

They looked like they were sparkling along the shining cosmos.

Arata looked up, then looked down again.

It was like they were in a …………

……….. one of those observatories where one could experience seeing starry things.

  
Only more vast.

So Arata walked in awe, the man who brought such a sight walking beside him.

Arata noticed.

A lot of people liked to talk.

But he, the man with eyes even lighter than Aoi’s, liked to keep silent.

People were reminded of Shun by him, but to Arata, he reminded him of Hajime.

He was different though.

Arata continued walking on the stars with the man they called God.

He just took in the beautiful sight around him.

No wonder Shun-san was so calm and relaxed all the time, if he got to see such magical sights.

“I’m walking on the stars.”

“You are.”

“They’re sparkling.”

“They are.”

“I wanna see an aurora.”

  
Arata said randomly because he wondered what it would look like.

The blue eyed man with white hair tilted his head.

Then he smiled.

The walk with Arata was so chill.

He could make one, but…

  
  


“Why not try making it yourself?”

Arata was surprised.

Maybe it even showed on his face?

Kami-sama chuckled at him.

“Yeah. Just set your intention on creating one. You’re in a magical space.”

He smiled encouragingly.

Arata wondered.

He took out his phone.

“…What are you doing?”

“Searching for auroras.”

Arata said and looked at the pictures of beautiful auroras.

“…Okaaaay. Now I have an image.”

Arata said and smiled.

“Kami-sama spoils me. You let me play with your hair, you bring me to a magical place and let me walk on clouds and stars, and now I can create an aurora. Aoi will be so jealous when I tell him.”

Arata grinned a little in mischief.

“…Arata is observant. I never said the walk had to be in the Tsukiuta world.”  
  
Kami-sama said in amusement to him.

Arata chuckled. He raised his hands and made complicated motions, focusing his intentions~!

And the night sky shimmered as an aurora appeared.

  
No it really did.

Because it was created out of Arata’s imagination, it wasn’t like a normal aurora, it was…

Golden, purple, pink, light green, orange and light blue.

The colors of Six Gravity. 

Arata stared in amazement at his own creation.

If only he had Shun-san’s photographic memory at that moment.

“Kami-sama. I wonder if my phone’s camera will work here.”

Arata said as he took out his phone he somehow had with him.

Kami-sama just smiled in his way as he captured the sight of the aurora borealis he had created of Six Gravity’s colors with his camera.

“You brought forth a new possibility, Arata.”

  
He said serenely.

Arata blinked.

Then he shifted.

“Ah, please move a little to the left.”

  
Kami-sama looked puzzled but he moved.

So he was now in the range of Arata’s camera along with his aurora.

And so Arata took a picture.

“…”

Kami-sama stared at him.

Arata thought he heard the Demon Lord somewhere far far away……………………….

So he got an idea.

“Let’s take a selfie.”

“Huh?!”

Kami-sama now looked embarrassed even though he was Kami-sama.

Arata didn’t give him a chance to back out because he felt the motivation.

Of boasting to Aoi and making Shun-san jealous.

Shun-san’s voice seemed to become louder from somewhere far away………….

Anyway he also wanted a selfie for memories.

Yes.

Kami-sama stared at him as Arata slung an arm around his shoulder and said.

“Say cheese….”

“Eh –“

His fluffy looking companion protested but he had already pressed the button.

‘What kind of walk is this’

He seemed to be thinking that again.

Kami-sama was magical but he was so logical.

Arata found the contrast interesting.

He just wanted to point that out.

“Oh. Kami-sama looks cute here. Like a surprised magical creature.”

Arata said as he looked at the picture.

“Now I have a nice memory and bribery for Shun-san.”

“…Why would you need to bribe Shun…”

Kami-sama sighed.

Kami-sama looked a bit tired. Arata wondered if he had gone overboard.

Kami-sama could be shy after all.

Kami-sama sent him a look.

“…Well, will the pictures even still be in your phone when we leave this place?”

He asked as he laid down and Arata blinked.

“Good point. Hm. But I created that aurora, so I can create the ability to keep the pictures I take in this place! Yes! I create that ability nowwwwww……..!”

Arata said with more motions of his hands and he felt a surge of energy.

“Yes. Now the pictures will be safe.”

He said and lied down beside the other man.

“So, what did Kami-sama want to talk about?”

“I’m surprised you remembered.”

He said wryly as he looked at the aurora borealis and the stars in the night sky.

“You brought up roles, so we can talk about roles.”  
  
Kami-sama said.

Yes.

He was calling him Kami-sama, because ‘white haired man with blue eyes’ was long.

And ‘blue eyed man’ reminded him of Aoi. ‘White haired man’ reminded him of Shun-san.

And so Kami-sama was Kami-sama.

“…”

  
Kami-sama did not look impressed with him.

“Roles. Arata.”

He said in a voice which reminded him of Hajime-san.

“Yes Kami-sama. Roles. Kami-sama plays a very important role.”

“Yes Arata. What important role do I play?”

Arata mused.

“Kami-sama plays the role of our goal. We sang to reach you in your world.”

Arata decided.

He decided to get a bit serious.

“5 years, or is it 6 years? Although we enjoy our idol work, there has to be new things for it to stay exciting. Kami-sama is definitely a very new thing to me. To us.”

“Hmmm…”

“It keeps us on our toes. To do things with great will. We’re working to make Kami-sama an idol after all. That’s our newest goal.”

“…Thank you.”

Kami-sama told him with his benevolent smile.

…

Ah.

He remembered that smile.

From the world where they all had wings.

As he thought that, Arata wanted to touch Kami-sama’s wings.

But Kami-sama seemed a bit tired, probably because he had used energy to show Arata such magical sights.

After his long day.

So Arata gave Kami-sama a moment of peaceful silence.

Until Kami-sama was ready to speak again.

“…Hey Arata, how do you think people decide their roles?”

“Eh?”

  
Kami-sama looked like he was figuring out how to explain the concept in simple terms, with his genius mind.

“…How do people end up playing the roles they play? Like, Aoi as the perfect prince, Shun as the Demon Lord, Hajime as the King…”

Kami-sama explained to him.

It was then that Arata realized Kami-sama was asking for his opinion.

He thought about it, and decided to give a serious one.  
  
“…I think, it is through people’s actions. Their behavior. They act a certain way, and somehow they get those roles.”

“Not their qualities? Like, Hajime being admirable as a King, Shun being mysterious like a Demon Lord.”

“…Well Shun-san is an actual Demon Lord. But for Hajime-san, for me and Gravi, it was his actions that showed he was a King. He had the admirable qualities of a King, and then he showed us those qualities through his actions.”

Arata said, resisting the urge to play with Kami-sama’s hair.

“It is like, if Hajime-san didn’t show us those qualities through his actions, we wouldn’t have seen them, and we wouldn’t have known him as a King. ……Does that make sense?”

Arata asked, glancing at the mysterious man beside him.

“…Yeah. That makes sense.”

Kami-sama smiled, like he understood his answer.

They looked at the magical night sky they had created together.

The colors of Six Gravity in the aurora borealis drifted along the stars.

Arata would be sure to show the pictures to Gravi later.

“…What about you, Arata?”

“Me?”

Arata blinked.

“What role do you play?”

God asked him.

He asked him with such energy it felt like he was really being asked by God.

“I’m curious.”

  
God said as if to lighten the load.

Arata had actually never really thought about what role he played.

“…I go at my own pace, no matter what……so……I’m the my pace guy?”  
  
Arata said, remembering what fans said of him.

Well, he wasn’t just the my pace guy though.

Just like Aoi was not just the perfect prince.

People were not their roles after all.

“How do you feel about your role as the my pace guy?”  
  
Kami-sama questioned.

  
“Feeling…….it just is?”

“…Just is?”

“I don’t….er, judge my role. If my role is just the my pace guy, then it is. I like being a guy who goes at my own pace. So it is.”

Kami-sama’s blue eyes blinked at him.

“That was deep, Arata.”

“………..It was?”

“My pace guy indeed.”

  
  
Kami-sama gave him a fond smile.

“Yeah. So actions decide a person’s roles, but what if a person doesn’t like their role?”  
  
Kami-sama wondered.

But the answer was simple to Arata.

Even though Kami-sama was a genius, he really thought a lot.

But perhaps that was what made him a genius?

“…Then I think a person should change their actions. So they will get a new role.”

“…Or decide what role they want to play, and change their actions accordingly.”

“Oooh yeah, then they can decide their role for their own!”  
  
Arata realized!

“Pft -!”  
  
Kami-sama was suddenly laughing.

“Ha…hahaha….you crack me up sometimes, Arata.”

“Eh?”

“…Ah, you just really go at your own pace. It’s admirable.”

“It is?”

“It is.”

  
Kami-sama reassured him.

“In a world which constantly tries to change who people are, people who can go at their own pace are admirable to me.”

Kami-sama spoke with a smile.

“Ah. No wonder Kami-sama is admirable.”

  
Arata said without thinking.

Kami-sama seemed pleased.

“Thank you. I enjoy going at my own pace too.”

He looked at the time.

“Anyway, I must say this walk was unpredictable. But it’s 3.30AM in your world, you should go to sleep.”

“…Ah, it is, but I want to look at the stars for longer. And those colors I created.”

Arata said, pointing to the colors in the reflected starry night sky.

“Story of colors…”

  
  
Kami-sama said with a bemused smile.

Oh.

That was the title of his 2019 song.  
  
It was Kami-sama after all.

Arata smiled a little.

You was right.

Kami-sama didn’t even seem to be doing anything, in fact he looked a little tired.

But things always ended up magically when it came to him.

Kami-sama chuckled and left him with fluttering cherry blossoms under the colorful night sky.

“When you leave this space, it will disappear, but the memories will stay.”

He smiled in nostalgia, but looked like he was looking to the future as he left the space.

“I look forward to your role as we move towards our dream…Arata. See you again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Arata called Six Gravity to the magical space.
> 
> They spent a magical time looking at the magical night sky with their colors.
> 
> Shun and Procellarum went there too.
> 
> And Shun made the magical place stay.
> 
> With his Demon Lord powers.


	5. Walk 5: Yayoi Haru: Meaning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We are taking walks with each other because we want to, not because of whatever message or meaning.”
> 
> “That’s right. Because we enjoy each other’s company.”

“Do you mind if I choose the place today?”

His friend from the other world who had appeared in his room asked.

“I don’t mind. Where do you want to go?”

Haru asked.

He nodded.

“A continent different from mine.”

He said and whisked Haru away from the world.

* * *

“…I was wondering what magical place Kami-sama was going to take me to…I didn’t expect to be on the statue of liberty.”

“…Hm? I thought we would be on the ground looking at the statue of liberty.”

“…Hajime help this is kind of scary.”

“Hajime’s not here.”

The oblivious Kami-sama said and with his wings, he sure looked comfortable.

But Haru didn’t have wings.

At least he hadn’t learned to conjure them yet.

The God seemed to notice.

“I don’t know why we ended up on the statue of liberty. Let’s go down.”

Haru looked up into the sky.

“Kami-sama teleport please?”

He implored.

He sure hadn’t expected this.

He could hear Hajime’s amusement telepathically.

Hajime’s childhood friend who was still in denial that he was Hajime’s childhood friend tilted his head.

“Yes of course.”

He said, placed a hand on Haru’s shoulder, and teleported them down.

“…Better?”

They were now on a bench somewhere in New York City.

Haru _breathed_.

“Kami-sama.”

“Yes?”

“Please never do that again.”

“…Yes.”

Kami-sama said with his hands on his lap, almost sounding chastised.

Hajime was still radiating amusement in Haru’s head.

Unlike the King, the God kept quiet and gave Haru time to calm down.

It was ...

…around 6.11AM in New York.

Since it was 7.11PM in their Japan.

“Why is this place so empty?”

Haru asked.

“…there’s a virus on the Earth I’m on remember?”

His companion said simply.

"Everyone is being quarantined...staying at home. It's still surreal sometimes."

“Oh……”

Haru then remembered.

They spent a moment just looking at the empty streets.

“…Why did you want to come here?”

Haru asked him.

“…I wanted to see the Land of the Free.”

He said quietly, getting up from the bench and walking forward.

Haru joined him.

His magnetic presence seemed a bit subdued.

He looked around at the empty shops and desolate streets.

He said nothing, just observing.

Haru imagined him sitting on the statue of liberty and having that same gaze he had as he walked along the streets.

As he looked out over the empty city.

Then the white haired man with blue eyes started to hum.

“What song is that?”

“A song I composed for Shun when I was alive in the Tsukiuta world. At least I think it was for Shun…”

He looked up into the dark sky, the memories seeming beyond his reach.

“By the way, I like Haru’s song too.”

“Hm?”

Haru questioned, and the man smiled.

“I like Haru’s songs, they’re very soothing and refreshing.”

“Well it’s an honor to hear that from Kami-sama~even Hajime acknowledges your charm.”

Kami-sama just sighed.

Haru was suddenly reminded of how he had sung ‘Kami-sama’ in Hajimari no Haru.

Actually.

He really wasn’t sure what to talk about.

Kami-sama seemed even quieter than usual.

“Snuggly sheep?”

He stopped in his tracks.

“…I am not snuggly anymore.”

He said with a straight face.

“Nor am I a sheep.”

The man with white hair said.

Then a smile finally crossed his lips.

“Fluffy fox.”

Ah.

Progress.

Haru had experience dealing with the distant Hajime so this was no problem for him~

“Is me being silent a problem?”

  
Uhoh.

He had forgotten Kami-sama could read minds.

“No, not at all! But usually, when you go for a walk with someone and they’re silent, it’s only natural to assume there may be something wrong~”

“…Oh.”

Kami-sama blinked.

“…Worry not. I am merely a quiet individual. There is no problem, nothing that needs to be addressed now.”

He reassured with a smile even though his expression seemed tired.

Haru thought of Hajime, and wondered if the title ‘Kami-sama’ was giving him pressure.

Even if he was the leader of the nationwide famous idol group, being called ‘God’ could be somewhat pressurizing.

People expected God to be perfect after all.

“Diamonds are formed under pressure. It’s okay.”  
  
God smiled at him.

But God still refused to be identified by his name, so Haru had to call him God.

  
  
Shun’s song suddenly came to mind.

_Like a diamond, it glitters, and ah, can’t be broken_

Did Shun send that as a message to him?

Nevertheless, the white haired man’s expression did not change, his blue eyes looking softly at Haru.

“But thank you for acknowledging that. It feels like a weight was lifted off my chest.”

“Eh? You don’t have to thank me for that sort of thing! We’re friends after all.”

“…Is that so?”

“What do you mean by ‘is that so’, don’t tell me Kami-sama doesn’t think of us as friends?”

  
Kami-sama blinked at him.

Then he smiled.

Kami-sama liked to blink and smile, Haru noticed.

“…That’s not it at all. Of course you guys are my friends.”

He gave a smile like the sparkle of a diamond.

Haru wondered if this was why people liked to hug him.

He seemed so distant at times. Like he was looking at something beyond their comprehension.

Perhaps they had to touch him to bring him back to the present.

So Haru gave him a hug.

“…Haru?”

“Even though you’re not snuggly anymore, I still felt like hugging you.”

“…Haru.”

  
He relaxed with a grateful smile, wrapping an arm around Haru’s back.

“Thank you.”

Haru waited.

Then the God finally spoke.

“I am in conflict.”

“Conflict?”

“Yes. Certain things I did for fun, turned out to have great meaning.”

“…”

  
  
Haru waited with a smile.

He felt the other man’s arms slip away from him.

“…For instance, these walks. They started because I couldn’t sleep, so I went to Shun. He invited me on a walk, I accepted. We talked, had a good, deep conversation about current events. And life.”

The white haired man with blue eyes smiled fondly.

“…I truly enjoyed our talk and walk. So I went to Hajime next. I enjoyed our time together too. So I wondered, maybe I should take walks with Gravi and Procella. Since there is a certain atmosphere you get with someone one on one as compared to in a group.”

“There is, indeed.”

Haru said, having gotten many of Procella and Gravi in one on one conversations before.

Including the distant Hajime and elusive Shun. And the extroverted Kai.

He was almost proud, really~

But Kami-sama was speaking, so Haru listened obediently~

“…”

Kami-sama sent him a look.

“Are Gravi all pranksters? Even Aoi became a prankster.”

“Perhaps we are~”

Haru smiled.

“No wonder I liked Procella better…”

Kami-sama said, but his smile was teasing.

Before he continued on.

“Thanks to the prankster trickster fluffy fox I forgot what I was going to talk about.”

  
Haru chuckled.

  
“…Okay, I remember. Yeah. Our walks. Hajime said they wouldn’t be opposed to it, since I don’t spend a lot of time with each of them, it would be good. The Black King’s approval was reassuring, so I decided to take walks with Gravi too, and I enjoyed the time. It helped me to relax.”

“That’s good. But…?”

Haru asked.

“…Being the writer I am, I noticed a theme in Hajime’s walk. Character development. So I thought it would be nice if the rest of the walks had a theme. And then I wrote. And………..”

He sighs then.

“I received a message. From my intuition, or perhaps the Universe. That these walks with themes had meaning. For whatever reason, I have to complete them. Because after we take the walk, things start to happen. I receive more messages for both myself and our dream. Hell, I created that magical space because Arata wanted to walk on clouds, but Shun made it stay and we had a sleepover. And the space that I thought was temporary became permanent, something we can visit whenever we want.”

“…Yes, I like that space. It was indeed magical, sleeping on stars. Ah yes everyone came, those from other worlds, other anime characters right? We were separated in our groups but together under the same sky. It was true harmony.”

Haru smiled as he reminded him.

“And I don’t see anything bad about that, Kami-sama. It was a bit of a miracle.”

“…No, there is nothing bad about that.”

“Except the pressure it puts on you…?”

“…”

“You did it for fun, because you enjoyed it, and it ended up becoming a big thing. Something with meaning. Something you were meant to do.”

“Yeah…”

He admitted with a wry smile.

“Even as we are talking now, I am searching for the meaning. The ‘theme’. And before those walks, I wondered if I would be able to find a ‘theme’ to talk about. What if I couldn’t, or what if I picked the wrong theme? Arata too was concerned he couldn’t find anything to talk about.”

He sighed.

“…I don’t like it.”

Haru thought about it.

“I think you’re just experiencing life.”

“I’m just experiencing life?”

The man stared, so Haru reworded his thoughts.

“…Ah, let me rephrase. What you’re experiencing is just kind of like life. You do something for fun, it actually has meaning, uncertainty pops up, and you forgot why you did it in the first place. I actually think~that’s how a lot of people lose the fun in their lives. Not many people do the things they love with the love and fun they originally did it with.”

Haru said, deciding to talk a little about things people could find complex.

“Because the things you do, they’re put out into the world, you see? So most people, lose the fun and love, because of concerns of image, popularity, money, meaning, that sort of thing.”

“…I see.”

Haru chuckled.

“That’s why, the people who are strong, just don’t care. They do things because they want to, not for whatever meaning or reason. And certainly not for other people. Maybe for Kami-sama it’s a bit different since you’re receiving spiritual and magical messages, but this happened because you wanted to take a walk with Shun and you did it right? So you just have to return to the source.”

“…I just have to return to the source…”

“Yes. After all, the walk with Shun had no theme. It had no explicit meaning. It was just you two talking. Yet it ended up to be such a nice story.”

“…Yeah. It did. I guess the meaning is what we make of it.”

He smiled in acceptance.

“We are taking walks with each other because we want to, not because of whatever message or meaning.”

“That’s right. Because we enjoy each other’s company.”

_Because we’re friends._

Haru said, then decided to add~

  
  
“After all, it’s us taking the walks, so there’s no need to be concerned, whatever is supposed to come will come as we relax and talk naturally with each other.”

“…I agree, but if it’s supposed to be natural what was the message for?”

Kami-sama asked Haru.

Writing it like that, Haru was almost proud.

  
Is.

It’s Haru writing this after all~

“………..”

  
  
Kami-sama did not look pleased with him.  
  
Haru grinned.

Kami-sama was just –

  
“Oi.”

Haru is going to get to the point, yes.

“…Haha….it’s just my opinion, but perhaps as an encouragement that yes these walks are steps – steps lol, that we have to take towards our goal. And there’s nothing wrong with that, is there? People have to take steps towards their goals. You don’t have to feel pressured~God.”

“…”

God raised his hand.

“…Saying I don’t have to feel pressured and calling me God with that look on your face…you know, I can transform my hand into a real claw…?”

Haru held up his hands in surrender!

“I was just teasing! I see you’re Hajime’s childhood friend indeed?!”

“Don’t call me Hajime’s childhood friend, that is a time I don’t want to remember.”

“But why~”

“Secret.”

  
  
Haru remembered it had been revealed Hajime liked to pull pranks when he was a kid.

Then he remembered the prank Hajime had pulled on his childhood friend during their walk and decided to keep wisely silent.

  
  
He is a god of knowledge after all.

God pursed his lips.

Then he decided to continue the conversation, sliding his hand into his pocket.

“Alright. It’s just a sign we’re on the right path. Good. I don’t have to rush to complete it.”

“You don’t~”

  
  
The white haired man with blue eyes nodded.

“That’s good.”  
  
He said with a smile.

  
“I have other things on my agenda after all.”

  
A ray of sunlight shone down on him then.

On Sunpro’s –

“Haru.”

“Yes!”

“…When will the harvest bear fruit?”

Haru did write that on the message across dimensions.

“…I can’t give an absolute answer, but perhaps May?”

“Why May?”

  
  
Kami-sama looked at him with curious eyes.

  
“…harvest, and fruit, signifies spring right? May is the height of springtime. Since our anime is in July, I’d like to think it was postponed for some higher reason besides scheduling issues~”

Haru smiled playfully.

“And they call June the month of rain. So if it’s May, it would make sense. The fruit will receive the blessing of the rain.”

  
His friend stared at him.

“Wow Haru that was such a good answer.”

“What do you mean by that?!”

“Nothing, just that you like to be mischievous but when you answer seriously you really do.”

“Do I have that kind of image to you…?”

“Well I knew you as the fluffy fox after all. When I was young and innocent…”

“We only met 3 years ago in 2017 though?!”

“Yes. 3 years ago I was a snuggly sheep and I thought I was Shun. Now 3 years later I’m God and Shun’s –“

He paused, then shrugged his shoulders.

“What can I say except that I’m so glad I went to Japan and continued to believe even if I was the only one.”

He smiled, his hands in his pockets.  
  
Haru couldn’t help it.

  
“Kami-sama despite your heavenly image you like to troll.”

  
  
Kami-sama fluttered his wings innocently.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He smiled.

“Should I say something cheesy like I’ll always be your snuggly sheep, the real Yayoi Haru?”

Haru grinned.

“The real Yayoi Haru LOL. Well you aren’t a sheep anymore…”

He mused...

_Should I say it?_

**_Just say it._ **

_But I’m not sure if I said that though?_

**_Just say it if you want to._ **

****

Hajime told him through telepathy.

So Haru decided to say it.

“The world is full of disappointments but meeting you wasn’t one of them.”

He said it to the man he had met on the other Earth.

“…Haru.”

The man smiled.

The man that had been abandoned by his friends smiled.

But he had new friends now.

The real people he had seen.

“Thank you. Whether it was actually you or that human you used as a medium…thank you.”

He smiled with tears in his eyes.

“…But, I don’t think the world is full of disappointments. I think there are good things if you focus on them…”

He blinked, seeming a bit embarrassed at going off topic.

“I just ruined the moment didn’t I.”

“Eh? You didn’t ruin anything.”

  
  
Haru was puzzled.

He seemed glad.

Perhaps it was a story only they would understand.

But he found himself content with that.

“…Well, fluffy fox Yayoi Haru, the sun is up. It’s 8AM in the morning here in the Land of the Free, so it must be 8PM over there. You should head back and have dinner. Thanks –“

He paused then, and said instead.

“I mean, I enjoyed our time together.”

He said as if remembering he didn’t have to say thank you to his friends.

“Yes~you too. Not snuggly sheep. Don’t leave me stranded in New York City~”

  
“…Yeah.”

  
Haru dared to say their airhead God had actually forgotten~

He could have left with his cool line like the god he was~all the while forgetting he had left his friend in another world and city.

“Shut up.”  
  
His friend looked embarrassed, but reached out his hand, touching Haru’s shoulder.

  
In a flash, Haru found himself standing back in his room.

“Ara? Where’s Kami-sama?”

There was a chuckle in his head.

  
  
_I wanted to stay under this sunlight for a while._

**_Fufu. Kami-sama is really unpredictable after all._ **

_Aa. Maybe you draw the unpredictable types, Haru._

God said in amusement in his head.

  
  
Then he chuckled, the connection fading away.

_See you next time, Haru. Our walk had meaning, and that’s enough for me._


	6. Walk 6: Kannaduki Iku: Belief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Belief! Yes! I think it’s a very important thing! Even more important than miracles, since without belief, miracles can’t happen!”
> 
> “…Without belief, miracles can’t happen?”

“…Um, Kami-sama?”

“Ngh………..”

Iku had been waiting for his walk with God.

But now God was sprawled out on his bed, buried into the pillow.

“…don’t wanna move……Iku……..”

Iku sweatdropped.

“You can’t say that, Kami-sama! It’s only 11.44PM! The day hasn’t ended yet!”

“I can say anything I want. And what is with those numbers…reminds me of that telepathic conversation with Shun…”

  
  
The white haired man with blue eyes muttered.

  
“A-hahaha………that was chaos alright….it’s Shun-san after all.”

“Mm……I’m sleepy.”

!?  
  
Iku stared.

Surely Kami-sama was not going to fall asleep on his bed!

“…Goodnight~”

Kami-sama smiled and closed his eyes.

Eh.

Eh?

EH?!?!

……

“No, Kami-sama!!! Don’t fall asleep!!! Good walk, not good night!”

“But I’m tireeeed……I asked you guys to lessen the telepathy in my head but you guys don’t listeeeen……”

“Ah that – we’re still working on it! We will continue to work hard at it!!!”

“Yes yes work hard Iku. Now, I’m going to – owowowow?!”

“Don’t fall asleep! Wake upppp!!!”

“Owowow – Iku my arm, my arm!”

Iku started and let go of his arm.

“Ah, sorry! Did I use too much force?”

  
  
The white haired man with blue eyes pouted.

“Really. How could you just pull the God’s arm like that.”

Iku wasn’t sure how to reply.

“Eh, well because we’re supposed to go for our walk! No sleeping, Kami-samaaa!!!”

“Ha…hahaha….you just charge forward as always, Iku. Then, are you gonna give me a piggyback ride? Like we talked about in the other world~”

Kami-sama gave a teasing smile.

“Ahhh, no, don’t distract me! Kami-sama has to walk on his own. Beside me!”

Iku declared and blue eyes blinked at him.

“Wow. How manly Iku. But you’re right. I walk on my own.” 

He yawned and got up from the bed, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

The image reminded Iku of a cat.

_AHhhhhhhhhhhhhhh_

…

Iku ignored Shun-san screaming from somewhere faraway and smiled brightly.

“Yes! Let’s go, Kami-sama!”

“Aa.”

* * *

“This is………”

Iku watched as Kami-sama looked around.

“Isn’t this…?”

He trailed off and Iku smiled.

“Yes! It’s the stadium where I had my race, which Procellarum attended.”

“Hmm……”  
  
The man with blue eyes looked out from the stands.

“Why did you bring me here?”

Iku wondered why.

Perhaps it was because this place was memorable to him.

Even special, for it was where he had pursued the two things important to him.  
  
His athletic nature and his idol career, with his friends cheering him on from the stands.

“I think…you became one of the things important to me, so I wanted to take you to a place important to me for our walk. Although we’re just looking out from over here.”

Iku laughed sheepishly, turning to his companion.

“Want to go down? We can walk on the track.”

“…”

He was silent for a while.

“Kami-sama?”

“…Ah, I was just thinking.”

“What were you thinking about?”

Ice blue eyes blinked as if coming back to reality.

“…Well, we are looking out over the field from such a high height…somehow, it reminded me of standing on that stage that was so high.” 

  
He murmured, as if seeing a glimpse of the past.

Iku was silent for a while, before he smiled.

“How was it like?”

He raised his gaze to the sky.

“…Wonderful. Being up on that high stage, looking out over the people, knowing they came for our concert to see us, seeing them enjoying themselves, feeling the impact we had on those people, our fans who loved us…it was an indescribable feeling.”

He smiled at the limitless sky.

Then his expression changed.

“But near the end…something changed. I don’t know what it was, and just thinking of it makes my heart feel heavy. The fans looked different to me. I felt pressured. Sometimes I felt distant…”

He murmured, trailing off.

Then he smiled again.

“…Well, let’s go down and take a walk on the track, shall we?”

* * *

“Hey, Kami-sama?”

Iku voiced as he walked by the side of the former leader of the nationwide famous idol group.

“…Yeah?”

  
  
There was a moment of silence before he replied, as if he had to register it was his title.

“Two of my songs…Next Stage and Lost My God…I wonder if they’re related to you.”

Iku wondered with a smile as he walked on the track he had once run.

“Maybe?”

God smiled in amusement at him.

Iku laughed.

“I think they are! ‘I’m like a God’, I think you inspired the lyrics, God! It’s been 5 years since it was released, but I believe the next stage will come in this year May!”

The God’s lips quirked.

“5 years wow. You guys really worked hard…”

“Yes! Although with our memories sealed in the moon like Tsuki no uta hinted, we didn’t know. But when we remembered, somehow, it felt so right! I’m so glad I was able to meet you again!”

Iku grinned up at the other man from the other world.

“…Yeah. It’s a miracle.”

The otherworldly man smiled at him.

“’Lost my God’…’Below the godless moon, the wind blew again and I woke up’…

“Yes! Kami-sama is like the wind after all~”

Iku smirked mischievously.

“It’s even the title of your – mpf?!”

  
Kami-sama had put a hand over Iku’s mouth, and he looked embarrassed.

“Don’t say that, it’s embarrassing.”

He said then removed his hand with a sigh.

Iku blinked.

“Why?”

The God just shrugged and moved forward.

“Anyway, it makes sense. ‘godless moon’…since you guys call me your moon and God. When I died in this world, you lost your moon. You ‘dreamed of reaching a high place’, but it slipped past before your eyes…”

The God mused, raising his gaze to the night sky.

“…So, did you guys want to become idols together? In the past. With me.”

He looked at Iku.

Iku smiled nostalgically.

“…I think we did. I don’t remember so clearly yet, but it feels like you were someone I admired when we were training to be idols on the moon.”

Iku said, then changed his tune.

“By the way, when we discovered that we sealed our memories in the moon, and that Shun-san was the only one who had his memories awakened before becoming an idol since he’s the Demon Lord, everything really fell into place, especially the way Shun-san acted as if he knew us in our first meeting! That guy knew all along!!!”

Iku said, wanting to rant a little, and his companion laughed.

“Well, it is Shun after all.”

The other white haired man smiled.

“Then I guess, when I went on to become an idol first, leader of that nationwide famous idol group with Shu, Shiki, Takaaki, Rei, Roa and him…it was kind of a shock for you guys huh? I never noticed…”

Iku blinked.

“Not really! You were always ahead of us, after all! But, it’s not like we weren’t affected. Still, we continued to train hard to become idols! So that we would one day be idols together with you…”

Iku revealed, then smiled wryly.

“…But then you got famous, and we supported you but it was a bit lonely. Shun-san was still your biggest fan though! Then…”

He trailed off, stopping in his tracks.

The former idol leader stopped with him.

“…I died in that accident, and my idol group broke up. Or reverse.”

He said quietly.

“…Sorry. I left you guys all alone. To the point that you guys had to seal your memories in the moon to move forward without the pain…”

He smiled sadly, but Iku spoke up.

“No! It’s not your fault at all! It was an accident. It’s true that we were devastated, but it was also a chance.”

“A chance..?”

Iku grinned optimistically!

“Yes! With our magic and Shun-san and Hajime-san’s guidance, and I think the President’s, we were able to find your soul. And then we stopped time, and sealed our memories in the moon until the time came to remember them again! And now we have.”

Iku smiled as he met ice blue eyes.

“…Iku.”

The God chuckled.

“Haa…I don’t understand how we are almost the same age, since I died in my teenage years and you guys should have been around the same age. Did the Demon Lord do something with time?”

He wondered and Iku shrugged with a smile.

“I don’t understand either, but I know my memories are true…my feelings are real.”

Iku said sincerely.

“Hm…’From the previous autumn, the wheel keeps turning’ ‘the next roulette that began to spin can’t return anymore’ from GRAVITY…this sounds like Maou-sama did indeed do something with time…previous…did he reverse time in this world…?”

The God mused and Iku pouted.

“Kami-sama, don’t analyze, just accept! My brain can’t take analyzing all the time, Shun-san!!”

“…I’m not Shun, wrong white haired guy Iku.”

The white haired man with _blue_ eyes said in amusement and Iku started.

“Yes! Anyway! Let’s believe!”

Iku clenched his fist in the air and the blue eyed man smiled.

“Yeah. Let’s believe.”

The brown haired man and white haired man bumped their fists together, sharing a smile.

Then they continued to walk forwards together.

“But you know, it all turned out for the best. Now all of you who were training to be idols on the moon, are in the same company, Tsukino Productions. Well, looks like I will be your rival…”

The God lowered his voice with a smirk.

“Look forward to it.”

  
  
“Yes?! I seriously thought we were going to be in the same company though!!! You spent time with us in Tsukino Productions! Then that guy indeed did take you away!”

“Hahaha. I know, right? We all thought I was going to be in Tsukipro, and were so confused when he said that. The President already decided on ‘Taiyouta’, and then suddenly Sunpro appeared…….”

“I had no idea Sunpro existed in the first place…….”

“I did not know either. Ah, that was last year. Time flies.”

He smiled fondly.

He looked up at the sky once again.

“Still, aren’t the sun and moon both in the sky? They share the same sky. So in a sense, they aren’t separated. Maybe after our rivalry we will merge and become Skypro~”

He smiled teasingly but Iku stared.

Then he moved in closer, surprising his companion and said.

“Kami-sama, I would like that! I would like that very much! Please make my wish come true!”

Iku said determinedly and Kami-sama stared at him.

“Oi oi your wish to meet me again came true, your wish for me to become Sunpro’s leader and sing in your world as an idol once again is still in progress, and you’re already aiming for a third wish? You’re ambitious aren’t you, Iku?”

Iku just grinned!

“Yes! It’s great to look to the future! Although we will be rivals, if I know there is a possibility we can be together again, all of us, like we were on the moon, I’ll do my best to make it a reality!”

  
  
He received a silent stare in response.

Then the God grinned.

  
“Pft -! Seriously? Is that why you sing about the sky in Lost My God? You’re incredible, Iku.”

“Nono, I know Shun-san wrote Monochrome Sky and November Stars, but I’m not sure if I wrote my songs from that time on the moon! I’m not that forward-looking like Shun-san!”

Iku waved his hands, not wanting to receive misunderstood praise, but the God just smiled.

“Shun can actually see the future, he’s on a whole different level. You’re forward-looking enough.”

He smiled as he walked with his hands in his pockets.

They spent a while in peaceful silence and Iku wondered what to talk about.

To him, Kami-sama had a very calm presence.

He walked at his own pace, while keeping his eyes on the horizon.

Even someone with high movement like him, felt himself slowing down in the man’s presence.

...

He really was amazing after all!

“Hm…Belief, Ambition, or Miracle…which do you want as your theme, Iku?”

The miracle they had brought forth smiled at him.

But there was no way he could make Miracle his theme!!!

“Why not?”

“No way no way, even Hajime-san got ‘character development’! Something normal! ‘Miracle’ should be for Shun-san instead!”

“Who knows if we’re going to talk about that on our walk~?”

The white haired man smiled in amusement.

“I’m letting you choose your theme okay~? I’m curious which you’ll pick~”

A smirk that reminded him of the Demon Lord was directed at him.

Iku sweatdropped.

Somehow, it felt like a test…………

The God just smiled.

…….

It definitely was a test!!!

_Rui help!!_

**_Ganbatte Iku. It’s okay. It’s just Kami-sama. Not Maou-sama._ **

Oh.

Yes.

At least it wasn’t Maou-sama asking him that.

Kami-sama giggled.

“Fufu. Revenge for waking me up when I wanted to sleep~”

Oh.

Okay.

If that was the case, Kami-sama’s revenge sure was mild.

If it was Maou-sama…...........

Iku didn't want to imagine it.

“What, mild? Should I make you write a 3000 word report on the theme you choose then…?”

The God smiled pleasantly.

...

“…Ehhhhhhh?!”

“My revenge is not mild, okay? It’s a very good revenge. It has Iku nervous after all~”

The God pointed out to him.

It was in his best interest to agree.

“Yes, it’s not mild at all, Kami-sama! Thank you?!”

Iku said, not even sure why he was thanking.

Kami-sama seemed satisfied.

Thank God.

If he was serious, he could even get Maou-sama to obediently say ‘Yes’.

But Iku thought he felt the presence of Shun-san creeping up in his mind so he quickly cut off that thought.

  
“Yes. So Iku. Belief, Ambition, or Miracle, which do you want to talk about? If you can’t decide…”  
  
The God smiled and made a writing motion with his hand.

“10…9…8…”

There was a countdown?!?!

“7…6…”

Ehhhhhhhh?!?!?!

“5…4…oh if I reach 0, my revenge will be your 3000 word essay….”

For the sake of his brain, Iku has to decide _now_

Miracle?

Belief?

Ambition?

“3…2…1 –“

“Belief!”

Iku shouted.

“…Yay~”

Kami-sama looked pleased.

He also looked cute like a kid, which was a good thing.

He also said ‘yay’ which was a good thing.

…

He had really been panicking at the prospect of that 3000 word essay, hadn’t he?!

“Ehehe~okay, so Iku talk about belief to me!”

“Ehhh…..”

“Or would you rather write –“

“No! Nononono!”

Iku shook his head and scrambled for words.

“Belief! Yes! I think it’s a very important thing! Even more important than miracles, since without belief, miracles can’t happen!”

“…Without belief, miracles can’t happen?”

The man tilted his head.

Iku smiled.

“It’s funny, but I think the three are linked! Belief leads to ambition, which leads to miracles! Or ambition leads to belief which leads to miracles…but to have ambition, requires belief in the first place right? I think that’s why I chose belief.”

Iku paused for a bit to gather his thoughts.

“...Even though I thought I wasn’t strong, I had the support of my friends and it made me want to become strong. To become a cool man. I doubted a lot of times, but I continued to believe in myself and my friends! There was no guarantee I would become that exact sort of man I wanted to be, but I believed and took action, and haha, I can’t even recognize myself now! Especially in my 2019 image, I gave such a confident look. I looked at it and thought, ‘Without noticing, I’ve reached my goal’.”

Iku gave a smile of pride in himself and said.

“That’s my experience with belief, and if I have to choose a theme, it would be belief! Not only because of my belief in my goal, but my friends’ belief in me. Led me to become the person I am today.”

“…That’s true. Even if one has ambition, if one doesn’t believe, it wouldn’t work.”

Iku’s friend smiled at him.

“That’s right. What about you? I want to hear your perspective on belief.”

Iku said, noticing they were close to completing the track.

He wasn’t sure how many rounds they had walked.

“What is belief to me………….”

Kami-sama mused.

“…Like a candle. It provides light, and heat. It’s warm. And even if the flame dies out, another one can be lit up anytime. Belief is something that can be rekindled anytime.”

He blinked and looked ahead.

“Metaphors aside…if I think of my idol group back then…we always believed in ourselves and our music. It’s not like there weren’t tough times, and being famous could be pressurizing, but we believed in a higher cause I guess? Ah…I guess we believed in the _end result_ , that our songs, our music would continue making people happy and make their lives better.”

He smiled, reminiscing.

He wondered and Iku smiled.

He looked at Iku then continued.

“Well that was before we broke up. …..Still, they returned to the music industry again and became idols again. They must have held that belief throughout the years after it ended. Ah I suppose in a way, belief can be everlasting. Though I would rather call it faith…maybe a belief held for a long time evolves into faith.”

“Ah, I see! So it’s faith…oh there were times I lost belief, but I still had faith. And right now, I still have belief, or faith, very strongly that you’re going to become an idol again! I believe it with all my heart, my entire faith!”

“…Thank you, Iku.”

The man with ice blue eyes held a finger to his chin and smiled.

“Rui said your voice has the power to keep on being positive and move forward. I kind of see that now.”

“Eheh, I’ll take that as a compliment, Kami-sama!”

“It is.”

Kami-sama smiled peacefully.

Iku thought for a bit.

Positivity and optimism was something everyone could do.

Even if it could be hard at times, practice made perfect.

Maybe he was naturally optimistic, but…

…to him, someone who could make people around him feel calm and even peaceful…

…he wondered what music did Rui hear.

For even while speaking of sad things, He seemed serene.

“…Iku, it’s 2.21 AM.”

“Oh! Should we wait for it to turn 2.22AM? Triple numbers, maybe I’ll make a wish!”

“…”

It was 2.22AM.

So Iku made a wish!

Iku looked up to the sky and said.

“I wish for this man beside me whom we call our moon and God, to become the idol he deserves to be.”

“…”

The God was speechless for once.

“You really…….”

“Triple numbers are lucky right?!”

“…….”

The future idol sighed and smiled.

“No hesitation at all. What can I say? You’re really cool, Iku.”

“Yes! I have become the cool man I believed I would be!”

Iku grinned and added a wink for good measure.

Like from his CD cover of Lost My God, and The God laughed.

“Yeah. You have.”

The white haired man chuckled, gazing at him with amused blue eyes.

“But I meant, it’s 2.21AM, well 2.26AM now. Don’t you get up to run at 5AM…?”

  
“……………….”

Iku had _totally forgotten._

He just stood there stunned for a while.

Then he shook himself out of his stupor.

“Ah! I should go back!! But, let’s reach the end of the track first!”

He declared because somehow it didn’t feel right not completing the track, and he ran!

  
“Hey? Hey?! Iku I can run on my own!”

  
  
His impromptu running partner protested as they ran, almost stumbling.

Iku laughed and let go of his wrist.

  
“I’ll race you there~!”

“Hah?! No way! I don’t even like to run!”

  
The white haired man said but he was running with Iku to the end of the track.

“Goal~!”

Iku declared, pumping his fist up into the air.

He waited for a few moments until white hair appeared next to him.

“Haaa….haaaah…..damn it Iku what was that…”

“Yes! Now we can go back, Kami-sama!”

“You’re…not answering my question…….”

  
  
The white haired man panted and raised his blue eyes.

  
Iku decided to tease.

“Maybe I did a little magic when we reached the end of the track?”

“Eh…?”

“After all, I felt the urge to complete the track after making my wish! And I’m the representative of October, your birth month!”

“…..seriously….?”

Kami-sama tilted his head and looked like he actually believed him.

It was quite cute, so Iku continued!

“Yes! Maybe some magic happened with my belief, not knowing why I had to run to the end of the track, but I just did!”

“……….deja vu…..”

“Eh?”

“I feel like I heard that somewhere before…in a dream…”

“Well, we are working towards our dream!”

  
“Do you even know what you are saying anymore…?”

The white haired man stared at him.

Iku thought.

“Not really! I’m just following my feelings.”

He grinned with his hand to his chest and –

**_If you call me ‘Princess’ you will pay_ **

\- And did not call the other man a princess.

Iku laughed nervously at the very manly man’s observation skills~

“…Do you want to be left here Iku…?”

Iku sweatdropped for the third time.

But 3 is the number of creativity so it’s okay!

“No! Or wait, on second thought…should I just stay here and sleep, then wake up at 5AM to run…?”

Iku wondered.

“If you want to?’

Kami-sama said.

“Hmm…”

Iku smiled.

“Maybe some other time. Now I’d like to return to my home. Kami-sama.”

“…Yeah. You teleported us here, you have the power to teleport now. You can return anytime you wish.”

His friend smiled at him, and put his hand on his shoulder.

“But you asked, so I shall send you back. To your home.”

“Yes! Please say the parting words!”

  
  
He chuckled.  
  
“Do I have to? Well……”

The man with ice blue eyes said the words as he teleported them at the same time.

“…See you on the next stage, Iku. Let’s continue believing in our dream.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is still some way to go after this  
> Even if the future closes up  
> Our strength and courage will wrench it open  
> I will still remain  
> I'm like a God  
> Even without an example  
> If you doubt just one thing  
> There are still things to believe in
> 
> （1.2. to the TOP !!）
> 
> Hit it and knock it down  
> The high wall blocking the way  
> There is nothing to lose  
> Because it doesn't exist  
> Dive in and swim  
> To the ocean before you  
> Some day you will reach that treasure island
> 
> （Knock on a door for the next stage…）
> 
> \- Kannaduki Iku, NEXT STAGE 
> 
> https://tsukiuta.fandom.com/wiki/NEXT_STAGE
> 
> I had a dream. 
> 
> I was in the astral. Speaking to Shiki. Talking about how their content was being delayed. 
> 
> Then we looked to the side, there was a screen. Like a movie screen. There was a very clear vision of a ship on the ocean. I was drawn into it. Like in first person point of view games.
> 
> The ship sailed, then a storm came. The waves were rough, and they flung the ship into the air. But the ship could fly. 
> 
> And there was a tornado.
> 
> And then the ship flew through the tornado, and emerged perfectly fine. 
> 
> On the other side of the tornado, there was a beautiful island. A treasure island.
> 
> The ship was flying towards the treasure island.
> 
> It was so beautiful.
> 
> Paint it Black, Gravi's new song, and White Sparks, Procella's new song, have a door and a clock with rapidly moving hands (time moving forward or fastforward of time). Infinit0's PV also has a clock, and Infinit0 are members of the ex-idol group, their PV has them.
> 
> Although I wrote this chapter before the videos came out, it was nice to see.
> 
> They also sing 'moon's storm' and 'moon's stage'.
> 
> I heard 'cosmic reforming' in Shun's part in the PV
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCo9FyoOBNA
> 
> Cosmic reforming??? Maou-sama, what are you planning?


	7. Walk 7: Minaduki Rui: Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Mm. Music is magic indeed….but what is more magical, is the love Rui puts into music.”
> 
> “The love I put into music…?”

“Mm…”

“Kami-sama?”

“Let me rest here for a while, Rui.”

“Okay.”

Rui said, looking curiously at the white haired man with blue eyes who had his eyes closed.

He waited in silence.

The music sounded downtrodden.

The future idol laid on the bed like one would lay underneath the sky, his arms stretched out as if marvelling the expanse of blue.

Rui didn’t feel like disturbing the silence, so he spoke telepathically.

_Can I touch your hair?_

**_Go ahead_.**

So Rui moved, getting onto the bed to play with the white strands of hair.

He observed.  
  
They were soft.

They slid through his fingers, and it made him want to feel it again.

  
  
So he repeated the pattern, taking hold of the hair…

…letting the white strands slide through his fingers…

…and taking hold of them again…

…and letting them slide through his fingers again…

The music seemed to change too.

It became more uplifting in the silence.

“Mm…..”

  
  
Then he heard it.

A purr.

“…Kami-sama, are you a cat?”  
  
  


“…”

Blue eyes opened as if it had been an unconscious sound.  
  
Then he smirked at Rui.

“Don’t you know cats were worshipped as gods in Ancient Egypt?”  
  
The God said proudly.

Rui tilted his head.

He felt like he had heard it somewhere before.

“…Nya?”

  
  
He said without knowing why.

Blue eyes blinked then looked amused.

“…Rui, that’s so cute. Yes, Rui’s soul is that of a god too~”

“Oh yes. Norse mythology.”

  
  
Rui said, remembering how they had discovered their soul names.

Which Norse god is he, is a secret.  
  


  
Kami-sama smiled at him.

“I heard you and Koi competed over who would take a walk with me first.”

“Yes we did. Koi said 22 April, his month is 2, so it’s his turn. But I wanted to go after Iku.”

“Yeah, and then that detour happened…and somehow Koi gave his turn to you?”

“Koi took it as a sign. Also he said he’s going to scout a place to bring Kami-sama to.”

“So he didn’t even know which place he wanted to take a walk at…..”

“Yes. Koi is an airhead sometimes. And so is Kami-sama.”

“…”

Kami-sama just looked at him.

Rui looked back, and continued playing with his hair.

“I want to hear Kami-sama say ‘nya’.”

“…Is this Shun’s influence?”

Kami-sama said after staring at him.

“…Hm….I’m not sure. Is Shun-san influencing me because he wants to hear it too?”

  
  
Rui wondered.

“…”

  
  
Kami-sama’s smile was a mischievous one.

He slid upwards, and went over to Rui’s ear.

“…Nya.”

“…”

Rui blinked.

Twice.

The white haired man with blue eyes chuckled and laid back down on the bed.

“There, Shun couldn’t have heard that.”

“…”

Rui pointed to his head.

“…there is some static in the connection. Maybe Maou-sama heard anyway?”

Rui said, but he didn’t really care.

Kami-sama directed his eyes skyward.

He yawned.

“Anyway, where are we going for our walk? Teleport me there, Rui.”

“Yes. Kami-sama’s ‘nya’ was cute. I just wanted to say that.”

Rui said like he was still in that moment in time.

“…Okay.”

Kami-sama just gave him that befuddled stare.

Did he not know his ‘nya’ was cute?

Kami-sama always said he wanted to be cool.

“…Rui.”

Kami-sama said, and the music got jumbled up a bit.

Oh.

Kami-sama was embarrassed.

Rui almost smiled.

Kami-sama was so honest.

“Yes…..”

He reminded himself he couldn’t say Kami-sama’s name.

  
“…Kami-sama.”

Rui said, placed a hand on his shoulder, and teleported them to the stage.

* * *

“Hm? This is…”  
  
“A special stage.”

  
  
Rui said.

They stood on the stage.

“How…”

“I asked Shun-san.”

He blinked, then smiled wryly.

“I see.”

Rui watched as he walked around the stage for a bit.

“…What music do you hear, Rui?”

Rui was surprised.

Except for Iku and Kai whom took care of him, and on the rare occasions, Shun, no one had ever asked him that before.

Rui closed his eyes.

“…a kind of sad, melancholic music. But I also hear a bit of upbeat.”

“Upbeat?”

“Yes. Like, even though it’s sad, the beat is energetic.”

“Hmmmm…….”

The former idol leader raised his hand to his chin.

“…What does my voice sound like to you?”

  
He asked, as he looked across the empty audience seats.

Rui blinked.

“Kami-sama’s voice is hard to place.”

“Hard to place?”

“Yes. I have heard several melodies with Kami-sama’s voice. Sometimes I hear it like a gentle, flowing river. Other times, it’s like moonlight on the waves. I see…different images with Kami-sama’s voice. But…”

“But?”  
  


The God echoed him.

Rui smiled slightly.  
  


“…It may sound a bit different every time, but it’s always very kind. Gentle and calm.”

“…Rui.”  
  


He murmured.

“I like listening to Kami-sama’s voice. I can’t wait for Kami-sama to become an idol. I wonder how your song will sound like.”   
  
Rui said.

“…Thanks, Rui.”

“Not ‘Thank you’?”

  
Rui asked.

His friend chuckled.

“…I’m trying to remember that I don’t need to say thank you to my friends.”  
  
The white haired man with blue eyes said sheepishly.

“Oh I see.”   
  
Rui said, and walked over the stage a bit, wondering what it had been like to perform there.

He watched as his walk partner walked to the front of the stage and stood there.

A moment of peaceful silence passed.

Then he began to hum softly.

The humming sounded like…

…falling snow.

Ah.

Rui thought as he watched the man raise his arm, his blue eyes looking across.

So this was the leader of that nationwide famous idol group.

His voice reverberated around the stage.

_Yume wa toki wo koe sora mimai_

_Zutto sagashitsuzuketeru_

He smiled with his eyes closed, reaching out his hand

_Umi de no kimi made nagaretsukuyo_

His hand moved, placed firmly on his heart as he sang.

_Bokura no omoi wa togirenai_

_Tatoenae nai mirai demo_

His blue eyes opened and he raised his gaze.

_Itsuka sono saki ni iru_

He took a step forward as he sang.

_Kimi no egao e tonkan_

_  
_His eyes closed with a smile. _  
  
_

_I wish you stay forever_

“…Kami-sama.”  
  
Rui murmured.

  
  
Blue eyes blinked, before he turned to look at Rui.  
  
“…somehow, I just felt like singing an old song.”

  
  
He laughed and grinned sheepishly.

  
  
Rui didn’t know what to say.

The song had touched his heart.

  
  
No music, but the man’s voice was music in itself.

It reminded him of Shun’s voice, but it was somehow different.

“A-Ah, we’re supposed to take a walk, what am I doing singing?”  
  
The white haired man with blue eyes muttered to himself.

  
  
“Let’s go down? Rui. …Rui?”

  
  
Rui blinked himself back to reality.

The music was still echoing in his mind.

“Beautiful…”  
  
He murmured inadvertently.

  
  
“…It’s a song about dreams.”  
  
The former idol leader smiled at him.

“If you pursue your dreams and wishes with feelings…it’ll definitely come true.”

“…Yes.”  
  
Rui managed.

Then he asked.

  
  
“Why did your idol group break up?”

“…”

  
  
The man’s expression seemed to change a bit.  
  
“…creative differences was the reason to the public. But it involved some personal conflict…”

  
  
He murmured, averting his gaze.

“…It’s such a pity. To think such beautiful music was lost from this world.”  
  
Rui said honestly.  
  
  
The former idol leader chuckled.

“Your music is beautiful too. Yours, and Procella’s. Procella’s music is very uplifting, forward looking and full of hope.”

  
  
He smiled as he raised his gaze.

“…Ah but for a moment there, I was back, to that time I thought I’d never return to. Singing my heart out on the stage, even though I never thought I’d ever return to the stage. So I thank you for that, Rui.”

  
  
He directed a grateful smile at Rui.

“…It’s okay.”

Rui said without knowing why.

He just felt he had to say it at the look in the man’s eyes.

“…Yeah.”

The man smiled genuinely at him.

“Let’s just take a walk near the stage, Rui.”

* * *

After walking near the stage, across the audience seats, in a nice peaceful silence, each man with his own thoughts and feelings, they ended up sitting on the edge of the stage.

Kami-sama wasn’t saying anything yet, so Rui reached out to Iku.

_It’s so sad, Iku._

**_Eh?_ **

_Kami-sama just sang a song_

**_Kami-sama sang a song?!_ **

_Yes, and it was really beautiful. It’s so sad that he stopped singing. He even said he never thought he’d return to the stage. I wish I could have recorded it._

**_A-Ah, but, that’s why we’re working to make him an idol right! So he can be an idol again!_ **

_Yes. Let’s do our best._

Rui wasn’t sure how to say it.

But personal conflict…resulting in the music disappearing.

It reminded him a little of himself.

“…”

Rui blinked as he felt a hand on his hair.

“…Kami-sama?”

  
“Don’t look so sad.”

The former idol leader smiled comfortingly at him.

“…Kami-sama.”  
  
  
Rui murmured.

Kami-sama stroked his hair.

His hand was warm.

Rui leaned into the touch a little.

Rui liked the silence.

He also liked the warm hand on his hair.

He wondered what to talk about.

Iku’s theme was Belief…

If he had a theme…

…he couldn’t think. The hand on his hair was making him sleepy.  
  
It was 2.44AM.

Shun-san said 3AM was the witching hour where magic happened, hence why their walks were so late.

  
Maybe he should wait 15 more minutes, and then some magic would happen and give him something to talk about.

  
  
He heard Kami-sama give a giggle.

His thoughts had probably slipped out.  
  
But he didn’t mind.

Because Kami-sama didn’t judge.

“You’re so cute Rui.”

“No, Kami-sama is the cute one.”

“Ahahaha…”

  
  
Kami-sama laughed again.

  
He really wished he could call him by his name…

“Shh.”

  
  
Kami-sama grinned with a finger to his own lips.

“…”

  
  
Rui pursed his lips.

He would respect Kami-sama’s wish.

  
  
But he was…

…petulant.

Kami-sama stroked his hair again.

“…Is there anything you want to talk about?”  
  
He said gently.

  
  
“Kami-sama stroking my hair is making me sleepy so I can’t think.”

“…Oh.”

Kami-sama said and removed his hand, but Rui grabbed his hand and placed it back on his head.

“No, continue.”

“…Pft.”

  
  
Kami-sama _grinned_.

“Haha, that reminds me of a post I reblogged…”  
  
He said fondly.

  
  
“A post you reblogged?”

“Yes. It was a humorous post, of a black cat having their head stroked, the person thought they didn’t like it, but then the cat reached out and placed the person’s hand back on top of their head.”

“Woah…..cute.”

“Yes. Rui reminded me of that black cat. Rui is cute.”

  
  
Kami-sama said. He sounded smug.

…

Rui felt he had lost somehow…

Kami-sama’s slender shoulders shook in silent laughter.

“Ha-haha….ow-owowow~!”

  
  
Rui pulled on Kami-sama’s hair.

But Kami-sama couldn’t seem to stop laughing…!

“Kami-sama….”

“Haha…yes yes…….my apologies…not~”

“…I’m leaving.”

Blue eyes widened, and Kami-sama’s voice went a little high-pitched.

“Eh? No Ruiii don’t leave! What about our talk!?”

“…I was kidding.”

Rui said with a straight face.

“…hmph.”  
  
And now Kami-sama was the one pouting.

Rui was smiling smugly in his mind.

“…Ahh…I wish I had my blog back…”

The white haired blue eyed man said and Rui reassured him.

“You’ll get it back.”

“Yeah…I hope so.”  
  
He murmured.

Then he shifted away from the topic.

“…Well it’s 3AM just like you wanted. So…”

Kami-sama looked at him.

“Is there anything you’re curious about?”

“Anything I’m curious about?”

“Yeah. Anything you are curious about, which you want to talk more about, because you want to know more.”

“Oh.”

When Kami-sama put it that way, it was easier to think.

“Then, I am curious about magic.”

“…Magic?”

Even Kami-sama looked like he hadn’t expected that of him.

But he already knew music…

“Yes. I want to talk about magic.”   
  
Rui said.

Kami-sama looked contemplative.

  
  
“Well…what do you want to know about magic?”

He asked.

“…What is magic to Kami-sama?”

“…Are you asking me as ‘Kami-sama’, or are you asking me as the person I am?”

Kami-sama looked at him with his magical looking ice blue eyes.

Rui couldn’t decide.

“Both.”

“Hmmmmm…….”

The man with ice blue eyes leaned forward slightly, swinging his legs.

“As ‘Kami-sama’, God, magic is simply what humans make of life when they pursue their desires from their heart and soul. That’s when things unexplainable by human logic happens. That is magic. The manifestation of one’s soul and purest desires.”

  
The man who was called God said, looking with his ice blue eyes.

“As me, it's when things surprise me pleasantly I suppose? Unexpected things I could never have predicted or imagined. When an impossible possibility becomes real. Ah and also elemental magic.”

The white haired man with blue eyes smiled and held out his hand, letting a ball of Ice form.  
  
Rui watched in fascination as he rolled the ball around his palm.

“I just love elemental magic, because it is from fantasy, which humans have considered impossible. Fantasy is magic in itself. Imagination is the greatest magic there is. It can even bring forth worlds into existence.”

“Yes. Just like how Kami-sama created the world Creamnio, your guild and the paradise.”

“Yeah. Humans are more powerful than they know…I just happen to be someone who awakened to my power~”

  
  
Kami-sama sang a little, his voice like an enriching melody.

“Imagination is real magic.”

He said it with a sense of knowingness.

Rui let a beat of silence pass.

“…What is magic to you, Rui?”

Rui hadn’t expected to be asked.

“…What is magic to me………..”

Rui pondered on this a bit.

What Shun-san did was magic.

He was able to do spells and create snow and tornadoes out of thin air.

He had even opened their Sight so they could see spirits in physical reality.

  
Shun-san was a magical Demon Lord indeed.

But the question was about him…

“…music?”  
  
Rui said.

“Music is magic to me.”

Before Kami-sama could ask, he continued.

“I’m not sure how to explain it. But there’s a bunch of notes, a bunch of sounds, and if you put them together, it makes music. It’s very beautiful and magical to me. So to me, music is magic.”

Rui said and smiled as he thought of what he loved.

“Rui loves music?”

  
Kami-sama smiled teasingly.

  
“Yes. I love music.”  
  
Rui said honestly.

“Mm. Music is magic indeed….but what is more magical, is the love Rui puts into music.”

The white haired man said and Rui blinked.

  
“The love I put into music…?”

“…Yeah. The fondness, the love, the energy you put into what you love, it produces a sort of magic.”

“…”

“For instance, if someone just smashed the keys on a piano or played the notes carelessly, it wouldn’t be music.”

“That is true.”   
  
Rui nodded.

“You sound like Shun-san.”

“…Don’t compare me to Shun. I’m my own person.”

“Yes. You are your own person. But that sounded like Shun-san. Not surprising, since you’re Shun-san’s i-“

Rui noticed the look he received from the white haired man and stopped.

“…Sorry.”

“No need to apologize, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just a bit embarrassing that’s all.”

“Why is it embarrassing?”

  
  
But the man just shrugged with his mysterious smile.  
  
  
“Rui is magical you know? You can hear the music from a person’s voice. I’ve never seen anyone like you before.”   
  
The white haired man with blue eyes said idly as the ice ball rose from his palm, morphing to become a musical note.

“Really? It’s just natural for me…it’s just something I hear.”

“That’s magic.”

He received a fond smile from the man with snow white hair and ice blue eyes.

“Kami-sama, how do I do that?”

“?”

  
Kami-sama looked cutely puzzled, so Rui explained.  
  


“How do I make my elemental magic form shapes?”

“…your Element in the Tsukiuta world, is it Wind or Water?”

“Eh? It’s Water. My name means ‘tears’ after all.”

“Ahh….”

Kami-sama mused.

“Water huh…can you show me?”

Rui nodded, he held out his palm, and let the Water appear above his hand.

“Can I touch?”

“Yes.”  
  


The man with the Ice element reached out, feeling his Element of Water.

“...Hmm…I’m seeing an image of waves and sea foam. Perhaps you can try that.”

Rui titled his head.

“Imagine waves and sea foam, then extend your imagination to make the waves move in such a way that the sea foam forms shapes.”   
  
The God told him with a smile.

Rui blinked.

Then he imagined.

He imagined he was at a beach, watching the waves.

As they changed shape.

He heard bubbling, and he opened his eyes.

The Water seemed to be morphing into some shapes.

“Ah…it’s changing, but I want a particular shape…”  
  


Rui stared amazedly.

  
  
“Then focus your intention on making the waves form that shape.”

So Rui focused.

It took a bit of effort.

But eventually, they formed a musical note of sea foam.

And then the Water changed into a musical note as well.

“…Kami-sama.”  
  


Rui stared.

“Yay~”  
  


Kami-sama said.  
  
  


“Ah…it’s hard to keep focus.”

“You only need to keep focus for the formation, once it’s formed, simply set your intention to allow it to be in the shape you desire.”

God said god-like things but somehow Rui understood.

So he breathed, and let his Water be in the shape of a musical note.

“…Can I preserve it?”

“Eh?”

  
Rui thought of how to explain.

“Like how Kami-sama can make his Ice impossible to melt. I want to make my Water preserved like that.”

“Ahhh………”

Kami-sama looked like he was thinking, so Rui gave him time, just staring at his musical note of Water.

“It’s fine if I can’t, but I really want to.”  
  
Rui said, wanting to explore his magic more.

“Water is different from Ice after all…….”

The man of Ice looked like he was musing.

“Water isn’t my Element…but I think, it should have something to do with stopping the flow. Maybe that will let it become solid-like…?”

He suggested to Rui.

“…Or, I can imagine that the flow of time stopped for this musical note…?”

Rui wondered.

“Eh…..”

  
Kami-sama stared.

Then he smiled.

“Well, imagination is real magic~”

“How does Kami-sama make his Ice impossible to melt?”

Rui asked.

“…how…I simply set my intention. ‘This Ice will be impossible to melt’. And somehow it stays that way.”

“……God…”

  
  
The God laughed.

  
“Aw, you can do it too. Just set your intention, for the energy of your Water Element to behave in a certain way. And then magic will happen~”

  
  
  
God seemed to be enjoying himself.

He really loved magic.

Rui observed, then he set his intention.

_Water…preserve…be preserved in the form of a musical note…_

  
  
He set his intention for his Water to be unaffected by touch, it would stay in that form…

…like a solid musical note filled with Water.

“Shall I help you manipulate the energies a little?”

“No, I want to do it on my own.”

“Alright.”

The God waited, as Rui did his magic.

Rui thought he heard his own song.

So he sang softly to the Water.

_Kasoku shiteku ano kumo oikakete_

_Nando mo nobashita te wa todokanakute_

_Kakushiteta ano uso mo yodonda kako mo_

_Nagareteku nukumori ni toketeyuku no darou_

Because music was magic to him, and as he sang, his poured his intention of wanting to keep the musical note made of his Water, as a memento.

  
_Your voice is lovely._

Kami-sama spoke in his mind, silent in real life to let Rui do the magic on his own, as he smiled.

“It’s shaking.”

“Hm?”

  
  
Ice blue eyes shifted their gaze.

  
“Ah, Rui’s magic is working.”

“It is?”

“It seems like the energy is vibrating…” 

The white haired man twirled a lock of his own hair idly around his finger.

He brought a knee up to his chest as he set on the edge of the stage, waiting patiently.

“You can do it.”  
  


…

His voice felt like magic moonlight.

_Let go and trust._

…

So Rui trusted.

That his magic would work.

He felt it still.

His eyes shot open.

“Ah……”

It was a bit shaky, but it seemed _solid_.

“You did it.”

The God’s voice said and the musical note stilled.

“…Kami-sama’s voice is magic.”

Rui said.

  
“Haha…”

Kami-sama gave that laugh.

Rui just stared.

Slowly, he reached out to poke the musical note.

It didn’t fall apart.

It just bubbled.

“…………Magic.”

“Your magic, Rui. The magic of your music.”

Rui moved and took hold of the musical note made of Water.

“…….how is this possible?”

“Magic?”  
  
  


A rare smile broke across Rui’s face.

“I’m happy.”

“That’s good.”

Rui held the magical Water musical note carefully in his palm.

“…can I have that too?”

“Eh?”

“The one of Ice.”

Rui pointed.

Ice blue eyes blinked.

“Why not?”

He said and the musical note made of Ice floated over, gently dropping into Rui’s palm.

“Let me make it impossible to melt if you want to keep it.”

“Yes please.”  
  


Rui said, staring at the two musical notes side by side.

One of Water, the other of Ice.

Magic across worlds.

A memento of it.

He felt his friend’s fingers touch his palm, over the Ice.

It glowed softly in pale blue aura, before the glow faded.

“Done. That musical note of Ice now won’t melt.”

…

Seeing him do magic really made Rui want to learn more about magic.

What else could he do with magic…?

“…It’s good that you want to learn more Rui, but it’s 4.09AM.”

“……………………………………”

Rui honestly hadn’t noticed.

He had a job in the morning…………………..

But it was worth it.

So Rui allowed himself a small smile, and stood up with the magical musical notes.

“I better keep these carefully, or Shun-san will use them to perform some ritual……”

“……..he would.”

The God said in bemusement.

“Thanks for taking me here today Rui. It really was a magical time.”

He said as he leaned back, his hands on the stage on which he had once sang.

  
“Kami-sama is magic like You said, so any time spent with Kami-sama is a magical time.”

Rui said straightforwardly.

“…I’m honored.”

The man smiled and raised himself up, sliding his hands into his pockets as he stood beside Rui.

“Well let me teleport you back to your room.”

Rui nodded and waited, as the former idol leader placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Hearing your singing…I really can’t wait for you to become an idol.”   
  
  


He said, then said the man’s name.

“…Yeah. I’ll do my best.”

The man gave him his serene smile, and they disappeared in flashes of snowflakes.

“You have magic, Rui. I look forward to your song as well. See you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song in this chapter:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg9iKXjJ4AE
> 
> It's a song about wishes.
> 
> Sakurai Takahiro stopped singing too, back then, so it is fitting.
> 
> I'm so close to finishing this, to finishing A Walk in the Light of the Moon.
> 
> Magic will happen soon.
> 
> Enjoy the magical musical notes, Rui.


	8. Walk 8: Kisaragi Koi: Strength

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “…Kisaragi Koi, idol of love……is choosing strength as his theme?”
> 
> “D-Don’t laugh! Even an idol of love has to be strong!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who have been wondering what my character in this story looks like, here.
> 
> https://cdn.mmohuts.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Epic-Seven-Tywin-Update.png 
> 
> Just with white hair, and with short hair, so without the ponytail. But yes, ice blue eyes.
> 
> I did not search, I was looking for new mobile games to play and found one. I rolled the free gacha after the tutorial and got him. 
> 
> I laugh because the symbol on his armor looks like a half sun and half moon.
> 
> Magic did indeed happen~

“Are you sure you want to go on a walk.”

Koi looked to where the cold voice had emerged from.

The man’s form had changed, his usually tranquil form to a more intimidating one.

He had probably been in another world, discovering another form.

There were spikes on his cape and they looked like they could poke him

But Koi had stayed up with the expectation of going on a walk with him so he said!

“Yes!”

“…I’m not in a good mood.”

“I don’t mind!”

“…”

The man rubbed his eye, then looked at him.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Then he stood.

  
“…Yes?”

“…what are you waiting for.”

It was a good thing Koi had experience with Hajime-san, that voice could freeze ice.

“Are you not going to take me there.”

He didn’t even have patience for question marks?!

“Yes!”

Koi said, touched the man’s shoulder, and teleported them.

* * *

“…”

“Ah…I thought of taking you to the place we met in that other world.”

Koi said sheepishly.

“Hm.”

The white haired man acknowledged and moved forward.

Ah.

He really was in a bad mood.

Koi probably should have heeded that warning.

There certainly would be no hugs or cuddles or a smiling angel.

“…Why are you just standing there. Walk with me.”

Koi quickly walked to catch up with his companion’s long strides in the world they had met.

Where he had been –

“This was merely one experience in one world, I have lots of others.”

The God finally said something.

“Ah yes, but, it’s an experience that is important to me! So I wanted to take you here.”

Koi said back.

“…I see.”

He said and continued on forth through the cloudy place with rays of light.

He was in an imposing form with a black and blue cape with spikes, certainly not what Koi had expected.

That was probably an experience as a villain.

Koi thought but didn’t say out loud.

“So.”

The cape swirled around and the man was suddenly close, a finger to his chin.

?!

“How are you going to entertain me?”

The God smirked at him.

……………………

……………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………….

Hajime-san help.

His blue eyes narrowed and he tilted Koi’s chin up.

“Why are you always calling for others. Handle it on your own.”

Koi wanted to flail his hands.

“I-It’s a habit!!”

“A weak habit.”

The finger left his chin and the man moved forward again.

Koi stood there for a while, before running to catch up.

A somewhat tense silence came between them.

Ah.

Koi realized as he looked at their moon.

Perhaps they had taken it for granted.

He was always forthcoming, testing the waters for them, prodding them into conversation, encouraging them.

  
Perhaps they had taken him always doing so for granted.

Now that He wasn’t saying anything, he could feel the pressure of having to be the one to carry the conversation.

…

…Ganbatte, Kisaragi Koi!

You can do it!

Koi told himself.

The situation didn’t matter, the other man was his friend and he would do his best!

He thought he saw a quirk of those lips but he wasn’t sure.

Okay

Strategy, strategy.

He had been quiet with Haru-san too!

Ah but he couldn’t use what Haru-san did……

He did have a nickname he could call the other man by to signify their bond.

But Kami-sama really didn’t look like he was in the mood for it…

Koi wracked his brain.

“…What are you doing.”

Blue eyes stared at him.

Koi realized he was messing up his hair.

“…Ah, it’s nothing! I was just thinking…haha…hahahahahahaha……………….”

“…”

Another look, and another step without hesitation forward!

Actually.

Koi couldn’t help but find him very _very_ cool.

_Cho Kakkoi._

So he stared in admiration for a while.

He could even imagine the white haired man with blue eyes giving Hajime-san that sort of look and walking away like that.

It was that kind of aura!

(He kind of wanted to see it…………………..)

Koi thought he felt Hajime-san’s annoyance so he quickly dropped that thought!

He wasn’t thinking anything like that, Hajime-san! Haha!

Hahahaha!!

Hahahaha………………….

“…Koi.”

Uhoh.

Kami-sama had said his name.

While staring at him.

“Yes?! Sorry, I was daydreaming! I’ll be right by your side now!”

Koi said and ran to be by his friend’s side!

…

He did not trip and fall

HE TOTALLY DIDN’T TRIP AND FALL!

“…”

By God’s grace, Koi was saved from his face hitting the ground.

“…”

The grip on his shoulder tightened.

“…are you trying to entertain me? If so, I should not be caught in your entertaining act.”

Koi really needed help.

But it was daijoubu, he would handle it on his own!

“This is ridiculous.”

Koi actually agreed.

Before he could respond, the blue eyed man increased his grip and set him upright again.

Koi was just going to pretend.

He was just going to pretend he had not landed on the other man’s armored chest.

“…”

The God seemed to take pity on him.

“…what do you want to talk about?”

He even added a question mark!

Aosijaoija

Aaooaijaoij

Aioajoiajpiapl

This was Koi’s brain as he thought.

“……………………………….”

Ouch.

Those blue eyes were piercing.

But it was okay!

After all, he had years of experience with Hajime-san, so he could be strong!

And then his hair was gripped as he was pulled forward.

“K-Kami-sama?!”

“…What is inside this head of yours huh? Just love?”

  
  
  
His pink hair was tugged roughly.

  
It was tough love!

“You can’t even think of something to talk about? Hm? And you want to go on a walk with _me…?”_

Kami-sama was really unleashing his villain side!

The God as a villain, oh my god.

WHAT HAVE YOU GOTTEN YOURSELF INTO, KISARAGI KOI?!

So Koi said the first thing which came to mind.

“Ah Kami-sama, we are not in an Otome game, even though I find your cold attitude very cool!”

Blue eyes narrowed even further.

“Why did you bring up an Otome game? Why would I ever be charming some useless heroine girl?”

“A-Ah, I meant, this rough treatment is like by a bad boy in an Otome game! Sorry it was the first thing which came to mind!”

“Are you saying I’m a bad boy? I am in a bad mood, not being like a bad boy.”

“Only the treatment, Kami-sama! Only the treatment! Can you let go of my hair?”

To Koi’s relief, the other man did indeed let go of his hair.

Okay.

That was not good for his heart.

Not good at all!

How could girls ever like something like that?!

The God exhaled.

“If you have nothing to say, I’m going.”

Koi grabbed his cape before he could teleport away.

He decided to just be honest.

“Sorry! I-I’m just not used to you being cold. You’re always so kind and caring…I don’t know what to say.”

Koi said, to the man who had hidden his face.

“…So, you only like me when I’m kind and caring?”

Koi shook his head.

“Not at all! Kami-sama is Kami-sama. I just need time to get used to it! Don’t leave okay? Even if the walk isn’t turning out as I envisioned, I still want to spend time with you!”

“………………………….”

  
  
Koi wondered if he had said something wrong.

But he had said those things from his heart!

“…………who’s the one being like a guy in an Otome game now?”

…….was that a smile?

And was that a joke?

………It was a smile and a joke!

“Haha, I-I will take that as a compliment! Otome games are about love and I’m an idol of love after all!”

Koi pumped his fist into the air.

The God chuckled.

Yessss he was doing well!

“Not bad.”

The white haired man with blue eyes turned and walked away, but this time he called out.

“Let’s continue our walk then.”

* * *

“Where do you want to go?”

“If you don’t mind, I want to go to the place we saw you last, in this world.”

“…Bold.”  
  
  
The God said, but nodded, and they walked to the place.

Koi looked to the side.

That was the place where he and the others who had been angels there had been, staring at the man who had sacrificed himself for their sake.

Obstructed from him by a barrier.

“Let’s sit there.”

The man who had sacrificed himself said, and Koi’s eyes widened.

“But that’s…”

“It’s fine.”

He said, and Koi followed him.

He sat down on the spot of his execution.

Where he had become a Demon Lord.

Ironically, he was in a form akin to a demon lord.

“Stop living in the past. As I said, this was only one experience. In the end, we met again.”

He said, his blue eyes fathomless.

“This story had to play out and so did my experience with the King. The angel you knew who was forced into the position of a Demon Lord is no longer. He is now The God.”

The God said, blue eyes staring.

“…Yes…”

  
Koi said softly.

“…”

A hand landed on his pink hair.

“Why did you want to come here?”

“…Ah…..I wanted to get over the past…where I couldn’t do anything as you took the punishment for us.”

“And?”

“……..I’m still taking it in.”

  
  
Koi reached out, holding the silky fabric of the man’s cape in his hands.

  
The God nodded and waited for him.

“…Can you call me by my name then?”

Koi requested.

“…Cupid.”

His companion whom he had met again turned to him and spoke.

Koi closed his eyes.

“…”

He said the man’s name as an angel back.

“You’re really here?”

“Yes. I am here.”

  
  
A voice not as bright as before, for one too many experiences had hardened a kind heart.

  
  
But it was him.  
  
And it was still.

  
  
Calm.

Reassuring.

Serene.

Koi wondered how he was able to do that.

He could erase all the emotion in his voice, wipe away all the expression from his face.

  
Yet his voice was still like some sort of pillar.

This was a leader.

Koi decided.

“…..Can we –“

He paused.

“…I want to talk about strength.”

“…Strength?”

“Yes. Please speak about strength.”

He said to the man with strength even his own leader could respect.

“…Kisaragi Koi, idol of love……is choosing strength as his theme?”

The man pondered.

  
When he put it that way, it sounded a bit funny.

But Koi had already decided.

“D-Don’t laugh! Even an idol of love has to be strong!”

“Hmmm………what do you want to know about strength, idol of love?”

  
  
The strong man looked amused.

“…..ah, like, what is strength, how does someone get strength?”

Koi brought up.

“…Strength is the ability to overcome obstacles, to face whatever is ahead no matter what it is. To not be swayed by anyone, no matter who it is. It can be said to be a form of pride.”

“A form of pride?”

“Yeah. Strength is something you take pride in. Something that takes time, effort and experience to develop, so it is something to be proud of. Not proud like boasting to people how strong you are, but a sort of silent pride. Someone who knows they’re strong does not have to prove it to anyone else.”

“Ah……..like, Hajime-san? Hajime-san is strong but he doesn’t go about boasting!”

“We’re talking about mental strength and emotional strength here but yes. Someone like that.”

“Then what about the others? I see the Nenchou-gumi as strong, what about Haru-san, Kai-san and Shun-san?”

Koi asked, curious about the leader’s opinion.

“They too don’t need to prove their strength to anyone else. They merely exhibit their strength in different ways. Kai is strong because he turned his sadness into strength, Haru is strong because he’s easy-going, calm and composed, and Shun is strong because he can be himself no matter what, and he accepts whatever that comes his way. And Hajime is strong because obstacles don’t daunt him, he sees them as challenges and goes for what he wants.”

Koi stared.

He kind of understood.

“So…strength can come in different forms?”

“Yeah.”

“So it’s not the same for everyone?”

“…The concept of strength is mostly the same for everyone, people usually can recognize a strong person when they see them. However, what each individual takes strength to be is different. Because strength is the accumulation of experiences, and everyone has different experiences.”

“What about Kami-sama?”

“…Me? Whatever strength I have is just whatever resulted from my experiences. I prefer power.”

“Power…?”

The God nodded.

He looked at his hand.

“Power gives you the ability to do and accomplish things. Strength is merely a natural consequence if one learns from their experiences. If strength were armor, power would be a weapon, or magic of some sort. People need armor to be resistant to whatever they have to face, but they also need some active thing, a weapon, magic, or skill, to obtain what they want. Hence I prefer power.”

Koi actually liked this kind of comparison!

It reminded him of an RPG game!

As expected of Kami-sama!

“Wow, I want to learn about power but I need to learn about strength first right?! How do I find my strength, Kami-sama?!”

“…What do you think your strength is.”

Oh.

He was supposed to answer that question for himself.  
  


Kisaragi Koi you silly man!

He kind of saw what Kami-sama meant by ‘always calling for others’ now…

“Let’s see….defence…armor….what would I like as my armor? Something resistant…”

Think Koi think.

………………It was no good.

Only love was in his head.

“Ah – actually I can only think of love………..as my strength, but it could be for power too?”

“……well that works. If you have love in your heart, you can be resistant to whatever obstacles because of love……………………..”

Kami-sama sounded unsure.

This was his turn to shine!

“Yes! I can be resistant to whatever obstacles because of love, because I would believe even the obstacle is an act of love! So if I approach the obstacle with love, well, it could respond with love too? Wait, even if it doesn’t, we are talking about love as my strength, my armor! It can’t be broken! No one can beat love! Love is unbeatable! I’ve decided! My strength is love!!!!!!!”

“…”

‘I don’t even know what kind of love you’re talking about’ was across the white haired man’s face.

“……Well. That’s just like you.”  
  
Kami-sama gave a fond smile.

It was definitely fond yes.

**_Are you sure it wasn’t your imagination_ **

It was not his imagination, shut up Arata, what are you doing awake at 5AM?

…………………..Wait.

IT WAS 5AM?!

“Congratulations for noticing, idol of love.”  
  
Kami-sama smirked at him.

“You had your strength all along.”

Ah.

Koi was touched.

So he had it all along.

His strength.

“In a way, idols are a source of strength. They shine and inspire people. Whether times are bright or dark. So you should not be surprised, idol of love.”

Koi blamed it on the sudden realization it was 5AM that he was speechless.

  
No wonder Kami-sama liked to shine.

“Oi.”  
  


A hand was pushed against his head.

“This is about you, not me. Don’t relate everything to me all the time.”

Spoken like a true leader.

The God frowned.

Okay he would stop.

He couldn’t help it.

Although he liked to shine, he also liked putting the spotlight on others!

And Kami-sama was just such an intriguing character, his head was filled with commentary all the time.

The hand gripped his hair.

Koi got the hint.

“Yes! Strength is like armor, and so my armor is love! I knew it unconsciously, so I chose strength as my theme!”

He didn’t know what he was saying, but he got a smile.

“I see. Your intuition is good then.”

Oh.

Kami-sama actually believed him.

Koi coughed.

Well it was fine.

It had been a bit daunting at first.

A coldness he was not used to, the complete lack of concern.

That had required strength to face, hadn’t it?

And he had faced it, out of his love for his friend.

Hajime-san would be so prou –

…

…No.

He was proud.

He was proud of himself.

Koi was proud of his strength.

The hand had left his hair sometime ago, and he realized his friend had stood up.

“Koi.”

“Yes! It’s time for me to go back!”

  
Koi stood up and declared proudly.

“…Yeah.”

Koi waited, facing forward to cold blue eyes with the strength of love in his heart.

“…I acknowledge your strength.”  
  


His smile was returned.

His friend’s hand landed on his shoulder, the man’s strong voice saying as his power teleported them.

“Stand strong, Koi. See you, idol of love.”


	9. Walk 9: Nagatsuki Yoru: Experience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I was seeking an experience?”
> 
> “Yeah. You wanted to interact with me in my villain form. That was an experience you sought.”

Yoru was waiting patiently in his bedroom for Kami-sama’s appearance.

  
Everyone so far who had taken a walk with The God had gained some insight.

Although it was meant to be a friendly walk, Yoru was looking forward to what he would discover.

“Your energy seems excited.”   
  
  
Yoru started, turning to see Kami-sama who had appeared without any indication.

Sasuga Kami-sama.

“Kami-sama! You’re here!”

  
“Yeah.”

The white haired man with blue eyes yawned.

Yoru couldn’t help but ask.

“Will I be facing a villain Kami-sama today?”

“…And if you are?”

Ice blue eyes looked at him.

“Hm, I don’t mind! Please show me your villainous side, Kami-sama!”

“…”

Kami-sama scratched his forehead as if he wasn’t sure how to respond.

“No wonder Aoi said he wouldn’t ruin the surprise.”

He brushed his hair back, looking at Yoru.

“You’ll see. Where are we going today hm?”

“Yes!”

Yoru said, ran up to the God, and with a touch on his arm, teleported them away.

* * *

“…”

“I wanted to take you somewhere away from the city.”

“…Where are we even.”

Yoru giggled.

“In some wilderlands! I’m not sure where exactly it is though…”

The God just stared at the plains ahead.

“I was expecting a moonlit stroll but I guess this works too.”

“Eh? Why a moonlit stroll?”

“……You give off that kind of image?”

He said in amusement, and walked somewhere in the wild.

“Why this place?”

Yoru blinked.

“…Why….hmm, somehow, I wanted an open field, somewhere with a wide space. So this sort of place came to mind!”

“…I see.”

His lips quirked.

“…Well, it does feel free.”

“Free?”

The God looked up into the sky.

“Like a journey. This space is so wide, you could go anywhere. It feels expansive.”

Yoru mused.

“Indeed, it feels like we could roam anywhere we wished! Not knowing where we’re going but traveling anyway!"

The moon and stars shone above them, illuminating their way.

They walked together in the plains.

“I like adventures.”

  
The God confessed.

“Adventures?”

Yoru asked.

He nodded.

  
“Heading towards something, not knowing what we may find, getting stronger, more powerful. Heh….walking in this kind of open space feels like that. You could go anywhere.”

Yoru thought about it.

“Kami-sama likes adventures…Kami-sama is so powerful and capable, why do you like adventures?”

Kami-sama blinked at him.

“What do you mean?”  
  
“Well, when I think of adventures…somehow, I imagine an average person going on an adventure to get stronger, meeting people who will become their friends…things like that!”

“…Why can’t powerful people go on adventures?”  
  
  
The white haired man with blue eyes chuckled then said.

  
“What is power for, what are capabilities for if they aren’t used, and what better way to use them than on an unknown adventure?”

“That’s indeed true…….”

Yoru said, then waved his hands.

  
“Ah, I didn’t mean powerful people couldn’t go on adventures or anything! I mean, I’d love to go on an adventure with everyone, including Kami-sama! Just, it was the first thought to come to mind!”

  
He corrected quickly, and his companion blinked at him.

“I know.”

  
He said simply.

Then he smirked.

“Are you saying you’re a powerful person then?”

It took a while for Yoru to realize.

“Eh! I don’t know how to answer that…”

“I was just teasing.”   
  
  
The God said with the same expression.

Yoru sighed!

The leaders liked to tease.

Was teasing a leader trait???

Yoru wondered what to talk about.

His friend seemed perfectly content just walking in the open area.

Ah but he was supposed to find a theme.

Even though he had grown, some parts of him just didn’t change it seemed……

“…what?”

The God said when Yoru didn’t stop staring at him for a while.

Should he say it?

Ah, he should just say it!

He was part of Procellarum, and they were a storm!

So he could become a tornado of his own!

“…”

Kami-sama gave him the look like he didn’t know what Yoru was thinking.

So Yoru just said it.

“Actually! I was hoping to see your villain side!”

“…”

He was just going to go forth.

“Koi was speaking about it to all of us, and I was wondering how I would act towards you then!”

“…Are you Yoru.”

The God deadpanned at him.

  
  
Yoru grinned.

“Yes, Nagatsuki Yoru here! So, Kami-sama….?”

“…”

The God exhaled.

Then he closed his eyes.

And let his form morph.

A light surrounded him and when he faded, he was in that form with a blue and black cape with spikes.

“So?”

Ah.

Such a cold voice.

Yoru was curious on how a person could be two extremes…..

……Now that he was actually facing it he didn’t know what to say.

But he wasn’t nervous, he had wanted to see it after all!

“Yes! Kami-sama, let’s continue on our walk!”

“Why do I have to walk with you.”

Woah, that voice was really icy.

But Kami-sama continued walking anyway.

Actually, he was striding fast, so Yoru had to move faster to catch up.

“Why.”

Yoru blinked.

It was just one word, but it was clear what he meant.

“Why…I wanted to see our interaction?”

He wondered.

Kami-sama raised an eyebrow at him.

“Strange reason.”

And then they continued walking.

Indeed, he really wasn’t saying anything.

He really didn’t care.

Cool………

Maybe he should have some experience as a villain too.

Kami-sama rubbed his eye, frowning.

Oh, that part of him remained the same.

“….Oi.”

“Yes?!”

Yoru said automatically and he stared.

“Are you going to just stare at me. Talk.”

The past him would have fumbled with words, but the present him said.

“What about?”

“…Whatever.”

Whatever you want to talk about, he probably meant.

…

Oh.

He almost forgot.

He was supposed to have a theme…

Ahh…it was slightly troublesome~

“Hm.”

The villain smirked.

“Let’s do something fun.”

“…Yes?”

Yoru asked.

“Show me _your_ villain side.”

…

Nagatsuki Yoru’s villain side?

Nagatsuki Yoru’s villain side………..

……….Shun-san help.

Shun-san just chuckled and said in Yoru’s head.

  
_Fufu. Ganbatte, I want to see Yoru as a villain too?_

……..

  
Now _that_ was villainous.

How did it end up like this!?

_You!!!_

**_Don’t ask me?! Yoru as a villain, give it up Kami-sama, it’s impossible_ **

…

Now that actually made him want to prove otherwise!  
  


“……Oh? You can’t do it?”

The God smirked at him.

……Argh!

How was a villain supposed to act like…?!

Yoru frowned.

“…….Kami-sama. Give a start.”

Silence.

Then.

“5.”

“…”

“4.”

“…eh?”

But ice blue eyes fixed upon him.

As if challenging him.

“3.”

“…”

“2.”

Villain.

If he was a villain…

“1.”

…How would he respond?

“…Who said you could give a countdown?”

“…Who said I couldn’t?”

Yoru let the emotion fill him and gave a smirk.

“I don’t recall giving you permission to give a countdown.”

  
The God looked at him.

“…..I don’t need permission.”

He smirked, staring him straight in the eye.

Damn.

He was good.

Yoru recalled the uncaring attitude.

If he didn’t care………

Yoru sighed and moved forward.

  
“Well, whatever.”

And as he moved he thought of what to say –

“Anyway, this theme thing is troublesome. Why do I have to do it?”

He said out loud.

The one who had been a villain shrugged and moved alongside him.

“Just do it. Everyone did it. This me is taking his time to go on walks with themes. You don’t have the right to break the cycle.”

It didn’t explain anything at all but that was what a villain was like.

Yoru frowned and asked.

“Fine. How do I choose?”

“Villains make independent decisions.”

The white haired man with blue eyes said with no expression on his face.

Yoru would not fret.

He was in villain mode after all.

…Villain mode was quite useful……

No wonder villains were so bold.

Not having to care about what other people thought or their feelings…

  
He felt powerful.

“Give me time.”

Yoru said and he said it like a demand.

The God just nodded and they walked along the plains.

* * *

It took some cheering from Procellarum in his head but Yoru managed to remain in villain mode.

He didn’t even know he could be a villain.

Yoru wondered how villains were born…

It was a challenge.

…

Oh.

He thought he saw the villainous God smirk.

…….Had he been led all along……..?

No, it was a result of his desire to see his friend as a villain.

So it could not be……

………..could it?

“…Did you manipulate me?”  
  
  
He said in his villainous tone.

“Why would I.”

The God stared at him.

That was a no then.

Yoru sighed and allowed himself to pull at his hair.

  
“I took this challenge upon myself.”

He said, then continued.

“I wanted to see what interacting with you in your villain self would be like……but I ended up becoming a villain myself.”

The God smirked.

“Perhaps there lies some other world where you were a villain.”

“…I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Yoru said, then looked at the God.

The white haired villain let a beat of silence pass, before he said.

“What is challenge to you. Nagatsuki Yoru.”

Yoru thought.

The past him would have said…

‘Something really hard that I have to work hard to overcome!’

The present him would have said…

‘Something tough but I know I can overcome it’.

But the villainous him said –

“Something that gets in my way.”

“…”

The other villain really liked to keep quiet so he continued.

“Challenges only appear before goals, don’t they? So it’s something that gets in my way.”

“Is that so.”

The God looked at him.

“So. You took the challenge of being a villain upon yourself. How does it get in your way.”

Yoru blinked.

In that case…

…….he was actually stuck.

Yoru allowed himself a moment to slip out of character.

Kami-sama was way too good!!!!

He really had a lot of experience………..

He was going to talk to Koi about his own experience with the villain afterwards, it made him even more interested.

……….he would succeed in this challenge!

“It…gets in my way because….because……….”

“Because.”

Kami-sama stated.

“…”

He couldn’t.

At least not yet.

Yoru slumped.

“…I have no answer. I tried to act cool but in the end I dug myself into a hole…”

He was so embarrassed.

Kami-sama didn’t say anything for a while.

Then he moved closer and asked.

“…How was the experience?”

“…Before I answer that, how would Kami-sama have responded?”

Yoru asked curiously.

“…’Correction. It’s not something that gets in my way. In this case. Some challenges are in the way of a goal, while others are for mere amusement. This is one.’”

The God said and smirked.

“...”

Maybe it was residue from his villain self, but Yoru kind of wanted to hit him.

HE WAS TOO GOOD!!!!!

Somehow – somehow he corrected himself without losing out, and added an extra piece of information so that he wouldn’t be contradicting himself! And got in something smug in the process!

“Kami-sama teach me how to be a villain.”

  
“…You saying that, means you’re not fit to be a villain.”

“…”

Yoru had no counter.

“Well. You did not do too badly. Retreating is also a tactic. Villains know to retreat when necessary.”  
  
The God nodded.

“Though, I did not expect to play verbal chess with you. How surprising.”   
  
He drawled.

“Verbal chess???”

The God just shrugged with a smirk.

Then his expression became serious again.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

Yoru pouted!

“Yes Kami-sama. Kami-sama is really Kami-sama.”

“I don’t care about that. Answer my question.”

“Yes Kami-sama. It was an interesting experience. Very challenging. When I went into villain mode, I felt more confident, like I could take on anything. Although villains are bad, I liked that part.”

Yoru smiled sheepishly.

“I didn’t succeed, but I learnt from it. Although I have no idea why the villain me said ‘something that gets in my way’……”

“It seems you still have more to discover then.”

The God smiled.

...

Eh?....

Was he still in villain mode…?

Yoru couldn’t quite tell.

“Yeah! I’m excited! It really was a challenge, and it was fun! Trying something new, I liked the experience! Thank you, Kami-sama!”  
  
  


Yoru grinned, then ran and hugged him.

“……..”

Yoru blinked at his friend’s expressionless face.

“Kami-sama?”

“……..”

Oops.

He was in villain mode.

No, his villain form.

He looked like he had never received a hug before…

Yoru moved to draw away, but gasped as his hair was pulled and he was back against the other man.

“Kami-sama?”

“…”

The God said nothing still, but his hand stroked Yoru’s hair.

“What?”

“Ah, nothing…”

Yoru said.

But he thought the villain sounded more at peace.

“You really are incomprehensible.”

A cold voice, but the hand on his hair was not rough.

It was careful.

Then he was pushed away.

“Enough. Looks like your theme turned out to be 'experience'…?”  
  
The God smirked.

Yoru stared.

Then he laughed.

“Somehow…! I thought it would be ‘challenge’!”

“Why would it be challenge when you were seeking an experience?”

“I was seeking an experience?”

Yoru asked and the blue eyed man nodded.

“Yeah. You wanted to interact with me in my villain form. That was an experience you sought.”

“…….I see…….!”

Yoru said, wondering why he hadn’t realized it before.

“Hm. This was certainly an interesting walk. It’s 3.19AM now.”

Ah.

It was past 3AM, which Shun-san said was the witching hour where magic happened.

Maybe he might get more interesting experiences in the future which would challenge him too!

Yoru was excited.

…

And suddenly he realized.

How much he had grown.

From his experiences.

The past him would have been daunted, or even scared.

But the current him was looking forward to it.

To overcoming those challenges, and if he couldn’t overcome them, at least he would gain experience. And then he could try again until he overcame them.

Yoru really wondered what the future would hold.

What experiences it would give him.

What experiences it would give them.

Yoru could almost feel tears in his eyes.

He could say, he was proud of himself.

Like how Koi was proud of his strength…

…Yoru was proud of his experiences.

He embraced them, for they led him to become the man he was today.

The man he is today.

Yoru smiles.

“I’m glad for this experience, Kami-sama.”

“It was an experience you chose.”

Kami-sama told him.

He craned his neck and looked at him.

They had walked quite a distance, he wasn’t sure how long.

But there was still such a vast field before them.

Yoru thought it symbolized the openness of their future.

Yes.

He thinks so.

“…..It’s 3.30AM, I’ll go back.”

Yoru said and waited, not asking, trusting the other man would understand.

  
And then the white haired man with ice blue eyes smiles.

He placed a hand on Yoru’s shoulder and spoke his words of experience, teleporting them to their own places.

“I look forward to the experience of the future, Yoru. See you then.”


	10. Walk 10: Fuduki Kai: Wish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “…..I think wishes are like……hopes that have been nurtured in hearts for a long time.”
> 
> “…Yeah. That’s why wishes are treated with reverence…I’m glad, to see people believing in hope.”

“Let’s go.”

“…Ah, Kami-sama. Weren’t you not feeling well?”

Kai said when he had gotten over his surprise.

“I just had a bit of a stomachache, that’s all. Let’s go before I fall asleep…”

The God said with a yawn, his hand in his pocket.

“Ahh…..I’m sleepy.”

Kai looked at him for a while.

“Want to sleep in my bed for a while?”

The words left him before he could stop them and the other male blinked.

“…No, I’ll really fall asleep……”

He said, but sat down on Kai’s bed, looking like he had just gotten up from bed.

“Since Kami-sama is sitting on my bed, I’m going to touch your hair~”

“…You are all obsessed with my hair.”

The God said as Kai touched the white locks curiously.

“Oi Kai, aren’t you a senior. Don’t just play with my…hair…….”

He yawned again and fell back onto the bed, staring.

“Fine……….just for a bit.”

The blue eyed man with white hair said, and allowed himself to close his eyes.

* * *

“Kami-sama. Kami-sama~”

“Ngh…”

“Wake up~it’s 6.33AM.”

“Mm…6.333AM?!”

The white haired man shot up with a gasp, his blue eyes wide.

Kai laughed.

“Haha, you really fell asleep!”

He was speechless for a bit.

“Maji ka…”

“Maji yo.”

The God sighed then curled.

“Okay………………..then I’m going back to sleep…..we walk tomorrow.”

He muttered but Kai said.

“Eh? But the sky’s still dark, the sun will be up soon, I’ve just finished my morning run, it’s the perfect time to walk!”

“…At 6.33AM…?”

“6.37AM now! See, wouldn’t it be beautiful to walk along this lovely beach and see the sunrise?”

Kai said, which was when he realized they were at a beach.

“…When did you bring me here.”

Kai smirked.

“Ahaha, I thought to save time, so I teleported you while you were asleep and waited for you to wake up. But you didn’t, so I got to look upon your beautiful handsome sleeping face under the moonlight~Hime-sama.”

“Excuse me? I am not Hime-sama, I’m Kami-sama. Wait, I fell asleep at like 12AM, you just stared at me until then?”

“Well~you wouldn’t wake up, and I didn’t want to disturb the sleeping beauty’s peaceful sleep.”

“You sound like you’re having fun……”

The God just sighed and placed a hand on his forehead.

“No wonder I heard the sound of crashing waves while I was asleep……….I thought it was some dream.”

“Ah yeah, it was like a dream to be on the beach beside you as you slept under the moonlit night.”

“…How am I supposed to respond to that.”

The God deadpanned and Kai just shrugged with a smile.

“Anyway, let’s walk!”

“Haven’t you slept, Kai?”

“Me? Hm….not really! But I did fall asleep a few hours ago? I slept beside you on the beach.”

“…Okay.”

He muttered, still a bit dazed and Kai grinned and held out his hand to him.

“Come on! Let’s go! You can walk now right?”

“…”

Somehow the words seemed to hold a deeper meaning.

The God reached out his hand, taking Kai’s hand and using it to pull himself up from the ground.

“Although I could have gotten up on my own….somehow, I felt like I should take your hand.”

“Yes yes~woah, it’s really a guy’s manly hand.”

“Oi, what do you mean by that.”

  
Kai stared, then laughed.

The words had just slipped~

“Haha, like, you’re in spirit form, but I can really feel your hand like I’m holding the hand of a man lol.”

“Is that so, can you let go of the hand of this man now?”

He said dryly and Kai smirked.

“Okay okay prin – I mean, God~”

“Call me ‘princess’ and I’ll freeze your hand and throw you into the ocean.”

“Ahaha……”

Kai laughed, he wasn’t sure if the other man was being serious or not~

Those ice blue eyes looked serious though.

“Oi, let go of my hand.”

Ah.

He had been holding on a bit too tight.

Kai let go of _his_ hand.

“You’re really here huh.”

“…Huh?”

The white haired man with blue eyes stared at him.

“Of course I’m here. Now let’s walk.”

He said and walked along the beach, his hands in his pockets.

The spirit hadn’t disappeared even though Kai had let go of his hand, so Kai walked alongside him.

The waves of the ocean crashed along the shore.

The beach was empty save for them.

Kai just looked at the divine being for a while.

Indeed, it felt like a dream.

Kai smiled fondly.

His friend really had changed.

“What are you just staring at me for?”

He tilted his head and looked at him.

Ah, that part of him hadn’t changed though.

The way he would express his curiosity like that.

Like a child.

“Well~your hair is all messed up from your sleep. It’s kind of cute.”

The Beastmaster smirked.

“…”

He watched as the God raised his hands to card through his ethereal looking hair, arranging the unruly white locks.

“…You’ve been staring at me all the while, is there something on my face?”

  
His walk companion asked and Kai smiled.

“Well, I’m not really good at one on one conversations, so Kami-sama, you start~”

“…Says the guy who spoke with Haru and Shun? That story…..”

He trailed off, and Kai’s smile grew soft.

“Yeah? The story of my first love.”

“Yeah, that one. Didn’t you say something about the ocean and her? You sure you want to bring a guy to the place you would have brought her?”

“You really don’t hold back do you Kami-sama! And somehow, I just felt like bringing you here?”

“Why?”

  
Blue eyes lighter than his looked curious, so Kai said.

  
“Somehow! I thought it would be nice to hear the waves as we walked along the moonlit beach~they give off a peaceful feeling like you.”

“Hm…”

He acknowledged, turning and looking out at the ocean.

“Indeed. Being by the ocean feels calming to me…….”

The God murmured, stopping and closing his eyes for a bit, as he tilted his head back and allowed himself to feel the serenity of the waves.

Kai watched him for a while, then went to stand by his side.

“It’s a miracle to have you here. I guess Shun’s prayers worked?”

He said with a wry smile.

Ice blue eyes opened, their color like a blue moon from fantasy stories.

“…Everyone’s prayers. Even if you guys didn’t remember since you sealed your memories in the moon, ‘memories sunk in the ocean’…in Oceanus Procellarum….”

Their moon said, referencing Tsuki no uta.

“Yeah, my prayers too!”

“Yeah. Thank you, Kai.”

The God smiled at Kai.

Kai reached out and touched the hand.

“…Kai?”

Kai smiled.

“Thank you too…….”

He trailed off, filled with feelings he didn’t know how to express.

There was silence, before a kind smile was directed his way.

“You’re welcome.”

He couldn’t hold it back.

“Ah, you remind me a bit of her.”

“…”

“She was kind too.”

“I am not kind……”

_He_ sighed, but he touched his friend’s hand comfortingly in return.  
  
“Faith never fails, Kai. I’m sure she heard your wishes and prayers and they brought her a feeling of peace…she’s smiling right now, I’m sure.”

He _smiled_ , and then moved away from the ocean, back to the sand on the beach.

“…Really? I hope so.”

“Yeah. Definitely.”

He said softly then continued walking.

“Are you happy?”

Kai asked as he joined him after a moment of staring out at the ocean.

“…I’m content, right now, walking along the beach and ah –“

He raised his gaze, looking out at the rising sun.

“…the sun’s out.”

The God smiled, reflecting the light of the sun.

“You look good under the sun.”

Kai said.

“…What’s with that? Are you trying to embarrass me…?”  
  
He said, looking slightly embarrassed.

But he did look good under the sun, the golden rays filtering onto the soft features of his face.

They seemed to shine upon him in such a way as if they knew he was a divine being.

“Everyone’s divine. Humans have merely forgotten…….the divinity of their souls.”

The God said while giving his divine smile.

But Kai thought he looked better under the moon.

_He_ said Shun’s green eyes were beautiful, like magical sparkling jewels.

But Kai wondered what his blue eyes would look like under the moon.

They shone like untouched ice, glimmering with a mystical beauty.

Had they been under the moon……….

………their moon under the moon lol.

Ah

But it would have really been

Beautiful.

Ice blue eyes blinked and shifted their gaze away.

“…Anyway, let’s go. Our walk.”

He said and continued on the walk, and Kai walked alongside him.

“We’re almost to the end, aren’t we?”

Kai said what was on his mind.

“Yeah. We’ll finish by the next full moon on 7th May. The Full Flower moon…….”

He smiled peacefully.

“Well, You and Yoru do sing about a white flower in Awai Hana after all.”

Kai smirked.

He sighed and pushed back his white hair.

“I thought they were singing about Shun.”

“Lol! Why would they be singing about Shun? What part of Maou-sama is a flower?”

“His looks?”

The white haired man said dryly, looking like he was resisting the urge to pout.

“I don’t mind if you pout~”

“…Shut up.”

He muttered, shoving his hands further into his pockets as he walked.

“Anyway don’t call me a flower. I’m a man. I’m God. Don’t call God a flower.”

  
He said petulantly and Kai laughed, patting his slender shoulder.

“Haha. You’re cute~alright alright!”

He held up his hands in surrender~as he received a freezing glare.

Woah, being so close, his eyes really looked like ice.

Kai imagined they had probably captured the hearts of millions of fangirls, and fanboys, when he had been the leader of that nationwide famous idol group.

“Hm but you really have changed~you were much more playful on the moon.”

He pointed out and the God smirked.

“People change don’t they? I was a child then, I’m an adult now, a man. I can still be playful though~”

“Yes, show me that playful side~Kami-sama.”

  
Kai said and imagined his friend taking his hand with a playful smile and dragging him to run along the beach.

Like they were kids again.

“…no way.”

Ah.

Did he embarrass him?

He was cute for a guy!

The God glared.

“I am not cute. You are having too much fun. Start thinking of your theme. Start thinking of it now.”

Ah.

Now he sounded like the King lol.

Those last two sentences at least.

Kai laughed~

“Ahaha, my theme huh! What should I think about?”

“…Not sure. The others’ themes revealed themselves naturally as we talked, but you just seem to be having fun………where’s our talk.”

  
  
The God stated and the Beastmaster smirked~

“But you’re so fun to tease.”

“…I really should just freeze you and shove you in the ocean…maybe it’ll cool your head….”

He said and Ice magic started to appear in his hand?!

Okay he’ll stop now.

Kami-sama looked annoyed.

He was annoyed enough even to conjure his ice while he was threatening him!

“Kai………………….”

“Yes Kami-sama! Don’t freeze me lol.”

Kai said and thought.

“A theme…….a theme huh……..”

He walked and thought.

“Make sure it’s something neutral.”

“Eh? There’s a condition?!”

“Punishment for teasing me.”  
  
  
He smirked and Kai couldn’t tell if he was serious or not.

“…Just, something you want to talk about is fine. Don’t force it.”

Something he wanted to talk about…..

“Then, I want to talk about wishes.”

“Wishes huh……?”

The white haired man placed a finger on his chin and raised his gaze.

He looked out at the dawn beyond the ocean.

Kai smiled.

“Yeah. Wishes. How did that song go? A wish is a dream your heart makes~”

“Isn’t that from Cinderella? …And wasn’t it a dream is a wish your heart makes.”

“I just heard it around! So Kami-sama, since you said this is like a dream, fulfil my wish and let me hug you now!”

“…So sudden……sure? I’ve already hugged Aoi and Yoru…well, they hugged me…”

“Yeah. This kind of hug.”

Kai said, then reached out and embraced the person like a dream.

“……..Kai?”

A delicate, soft gentle voice.

Ah, let him stay for a while in this ethereal dream.

“So you were holding your feelings back…….”

He smiled softly.

“…Were you the one who wiped my tears away in my sad dreams?”

Kai asked.

“…I don’t remember…but perhaps I was.”

  
He said like a fleeting dream.

“I’ve always…been watching over you all after all.”

He said, and wrapped his arms back around Kai.

“It’s alright. You are not alone.”

* * *

Ah.

Those words…

He had thought they were from Shun, for Maou-sama seemed to know everything.

And he had told him about his story………

……..but Maou-sama knew spirits from the beginning.

_"Shun, did you save me?"_

_"No, It wasn't me."_

He knew her.

And he knew _him_.

Was it really Shun who had been listening to his first love story?

Or had it been him?

Or perhaps…her?

At one point, the words Shun had said felt like it had really been her saying it.

_"Even if it’s a little sad of a story to talk about...To Kai, it’s a nice memory. And, to her...It must have been a nice memory too, huh… With a wish on Tanabata, on that faraway summer’s day.."_

_"When you say it, it really makes me feel as if she is the one saying it. Strange, isn’t it?"_

_"It’s probably true."_

Perhaps she had taken over Shun’s body then, to give those words to him….

He really should ask Shun when he got back.

* * *

The God’s hand stroked his hair comfortingly.

“What are you thinking?”

He asked, even though he probably knew.

Being able to read minds and feel feelings even when he didn’t want to……

Kai wondered what that was like.

He was probably feeling his feelings now.

“…Just a sad story. About my wish…….”

Kai said and held him tighter.  
  
Because he was kind, the God allowed him to, continuing to stroke his hair.

Ah, he could fall asleep, just like this……..

A treasure island huh…..?

Why the heck did it appear in Iku’s song?

Were they connected…..?

“…We can create a new story.”

His companion said, somewhere.

“…”

“Together…with everyone.”

He wasn’t sure when his arms had loosened, but he watched as the other male drew back.

And smiled.

“…I’ll hold your hand. So walk with me, Kai?”

Holding a gentle hand and walking along the ocean…

It wasn’t her hand, but still…

That smile…

_Ah, what should I do…?_

**_Fufu. Do it if you want to, Kai~_ **

****

Shun ironically said the same thing as Hajime said to Haru.

So Kai took the outreached hand.

It felt like their roles had been reversed.

His friend clasped his hand as if to anchor him to reality.

And then they walked along the beach.

The hand he held in his was cold, but warm under the sun.

Kind people had cold hands.

And then he swung their hands.

Like they were kids.

“So~what do you wish, Kai?”

“Eh?”

“Well, you wanted to talk about wishes right?”

Light blue eyes blinked at him.

Kai smiled.

“…Well, my wish already came true. Can I wish for more?”

“…You can wish as much as you want.”

The God said to him reassuringly.

It was 9.24AM.

24 was The Demon Lord’s birthdate.

Kai looked at the dawn and made a wish.

“I wish…….for everyone’s happiness, for us to continue shining together as idols, this time with our Moon, our God. Even if we are to be rivals in the future…I hope our bond will continue to last…for eternity.”

Kai wished before the vastness of the endless ocean.

There was a silence, as if the Universe was hearing Kai’s wish.

“…Eternity huh………”

  
The God said.

The Beastmaster smiled.

“Yeah. Was that too long? I feel like I’ve known everyone forever though.”

He confessed.

“…Yeah. We may have known each other from a long, long, long……………………..time ago, before we were ever humans.”

The God said with a mysterious smile.

“…Feelings are the language of the soul after all.”

And then he looked at the dawn, towards the sun.

“I’m sure the Universe heard your wish. And ah, it’s 8.28AM now. 28 is my number. How fitting.”

The God smirked.

“Yeah.”

Kai smiled.

“You asked what I thought about wishes…..I think wishes are like……hopes that have been nurtured in hearts for a long time.”

Kai said, saying what he was feeling.

“That’s why I think people want their wishes fulfilled? And why wishes are precious and important.”

“…Yeah. That’s why wishes are treated with reverence…I’m glad, to see people believing in hope.”

The white haired man with blue eyes smiled.

Kai squeezed his hand.

“Thank you. Being with a kind person like you and taking a walk along one of the places I treasure…it soothed my heart.”

Kai smiled in gratitude.

“…You brought about this, Kai. By bringing me here, things then unfolded naturally.”

God smiled benevolently at him.

He thought he heard his own song playing in his head.

_The things that I received from you_

_Keep piling in my heart_

_Brimming with fond feelings, just like raging waves_

Even if it wasn’t her………

Kai would treasure this feeling.

The waves raged along the shore as they stood together, as if reflecting his fond feelings.

And then Kai let go –

\- Of the gentle hand.

And he wasn’t good with words, but he felt like something had been released.

He could feel tears brim in his eyes.

Of everything he was feeling.

Like Shun had done, he had helped him to release his feelings.

Out into the open, away to the ocean.

A wish –

\- An evolved wish into their future.

He wished he could say his name.

Divine Grace.

The person of divine grace blinked his blue eyes at him.

Then he chuckled, and slid his hand back into his pocket.

…

What was in his pockets lol, maybe some secret treasure?

…

The man looked amused.

The sun shone down on them both.

“…It’s 9.44AM. I believe you said your work is at 10AM.”

The future idol said with a bemused smile.

Kai blinked.

“Ah! It’s 9AM already?! Time really flies!”

“Time indeed flew~”  
  
  
The graceful man giggled.

That was a contradiction wasn’t it?  
  
Kai didn’t know how could he be graceful then giggle like that.

“Haha! I am just me.”

The God smiled, and looked at him.

He was waiting, and Kai realized.

“Ah yes, send me back Kami-sama!”

“Yeah. This time, you’ll be sent not to the past…but the future.”

“The future?!”

“Pft! I meant, you no longer have to live in the past anymore. You made your wish towards a happy future with everyone, didn’t you?”

Ah.

He did.

So that was what he meant.

  
  
The others had probably said it already but he had to say it!

  
He really was God after all.

He really is God.

“You really are God.”

Kai said, and He smiled.

  
“I Am.”

He didn’t have his wings then, they were not materialized, but the way he spoke was as if he had them.

Then his hand reached out and touched Kai’s shoulder, and Kai felt himself being teleported away.

“Your wish will give life to our dream, Kai…treasure it. I’ll see you……with everyone.”


	11. Walk 11: Shiwasu Kakeru: Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Anyway – we are writing this, so we can see and read our memories. And I’m the last one before Shun-san. So memories it is! It’s fitting, right?”
> 
> “…Ah, that’s right. It’s fitting.”

“Inocencia is such a nice song…….I feel like sleeping……….”

Kakeru sweatdropped as he looked at the subject of the song laid out sleepily on the bed.

“Nooo….! White wind wake up wake upppp…..!”

He said but it was late and he was getting sleepy himself.

Ahhhh their walk was supposed to be yesterday but he had requested it be postponed!

Was it his blunder?

“Kirei na mama de…………”

Okay that voice could become a lullaby if he continued to sing and then he would be the one asleep.

So Kakeru went over and messed up Kami-sama’s hair!

“O-Oi -?!”

“Wake up -! Don’t fall asleeeeep…!”

“nemuru subete wo~”

“Kami-saaaaama!!”

Kami-sama chuckled.

He was in the form of a knight, looking like the hard worker he was.

“Yes…….”

The God got up from the bed with a yawn, the ponytail of hair in his knight form swishing as he moved.

Kakeru felt like pulling it.

Wouldn’t it have been a determent in battle??

“Pull my hair and I’ll cut your hand.”

...

He definitely wasn’t going to pull it at all!!!

“Yes! It was just a stray thought! Kami-sama forgive me!”

His hair was ruffled, and a sleepy smile was directed at him.

“…Well. Where are you going to take me today? I’ll follow you.”

EH.

Follow him?

Kami-sama following him?!

“……I am a knight in this form after all.”

He smiled, then dropped and wrapped his arms around Kakeru from behind.

………………………………………………………………………

Kakeru heard Shun-san screaming.

Over the

EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!

In his own head.

He stood frozen in the taller man’s hold.

DANGEROUS. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

“K-Kami-sama -!!!!”

“Teleport us already……”

“YES!”

Kakeru said and teleported them away!

* * *

“Woah. Woahh……….I almost lost control and got dragged into Shun-san’s Underworld……”

Kakeru heaved, then said.

“Um Kami-sama, can you let go of me?”

“…….’Kay.”

To his relief, Kami-sama let go of him.

Okay now he knew how Koi felt when Kami-sama did the BL – jya nakute, otome game route!

“…”

Ice blue eyes roamed around, blinking.

“Am I still dazed or are we in a garden…?”

“Yes!”

Kakeru perked up, he had thought long and hard about this!

  
“Since I’m the last of us Tsukiuta idols to take a walk with you before Shun-san, I wanted to take you to some place bright and with flowers! Since we believe you’ll become an idol in Spring!”

  
Kakeru grinned.

“Wow……”

The white haired man’s lips curled.

“It’s certainly a pretty place.”

He murmured as he walked along.

“Ah…this reminds me of the time Hajime and Shun pointed out flowers on twitter that reminded them of each other……it was so cute……”

He giggled a bit with a fond smile.

“Ah, snow drops remind me of Shun…”

Then his blue eyes glimmered.

“Although, there are apparently blue snowdrops, and they’re spring flowers…”

He said, reaching out a hand to touch the blue petals of a flower as Kakeru said.

“Well, you and Shun-san both have white hair after all! And Kami-sama has a snowy image!”

“……………Snowy image?”

The snowy man tilted his head at him.

“Yes? Kami-sama’s eyes are ice blue, and your hair is snowy white, you look like a winter guy! Like – like …….. a yuki otoko!”

“…Yuki otoko?”

“Yeah! I was thinking of yuki onna, you know the snow demon, but Kami-sama is male so I just changed it to otoko!”

“Hm? Do I give off a demonic feeling…?”

  
He looked curious, so Kakeru explained.

“Ah I mean, you give off a mysterious, mystical feeling! Like you’re some legend.”

“…….What’s with that?”

  
  
The God smiled in amusement at him.

Kakeru harrumphed.

“Yeah! I mean, you are a legend! Since you’re the leader of the nationwide idol group!”

“…Was.”

He corrected with a chuckle but smiled.

“Thanks Kakeru.”

“Eh? What for?”

“Hm, I just felt like saying it.”

He said, shoving his hands into his pockets –

\- Or at least he tried to, before realizing he was in armor in his knight form and there were no pockets.

“…Anyway let’s walk through this lovely garden.” 

He said and walked, looking at Kakeru.

“Walk beside me.”

“Yes!”

  
  
Kakeru said at the commanding tone and ran to catch up.

“Haha…..you know Kami-sama? I was really nervous since I was the last one before Shun-san, but this isn’t so bad after all!”

“Hm? Why would it be bad?”

“Ah no, I meant, I was afraid of messing up somehow -! Especially because of my bad – woah -!”

Kakeru would have tripped and fell, had the other man not wrapped an arm around him.

“Are you alright?”

Kakeru’s face burned.

How could he have tripped and fallen like that?!

He was so embarrassed!!!

“…Should I carry you through the garden?”

An amused voice resounded in his ear.

NO!

  
“No! And thank you for catching me, but please let me go!’

“Alright.”

He withdrew dutifully and Kakeru sighed in relief.

Ah.

Ikemen types did dangerous things so casually huh…………….

He turned to face a tilt of his walking companion’s head.

AND HE WAS THE OBLIVIOUS TYPE TOO!

Ice blue eyes blinked twice.

Then he seemed to realize, his armor clinking as he raised a hand to his chin.

“Oh my. Did your heart beat fast at my charm?”

Kakeru kind of wanted to hit him but he was God!

It would be like hitting Hajime-san.

 _And_ Shun-san.

Kami-sama was looking too smug with that smile.

“Alright I won’t tease.”

He conceded, lowering his hand and moving forward.

Kakeru decided to pretend it hadn’t happened!

“So Kami-sama! How do you find this place?”

“…It’s refreshing. Many beautiful colors everywhere, it’s just colorful and vibrant. You chose a good place, Kakeru. Spring is blooming after all…….”

The God closed his eyes with a smile.

Kakeru made sure to be extra careful when walking beside the God.

At times, the white haired man stopped to touch the flowers, his ice blue eyes curious, his touch gentle.

Sometimes he could be imposing like the King, and playful like the Demon Lord.

But now he looked like he could be the perfect gentleman.

  
  
………….Leaders were really high-spec guys!!!!!

Kakeru briefly wondered how the other leader would be like.

The man who would be the God’s rival.

“Kami-sama! What about the other leader?”

“…Why do you ask?”

The God questioned, turning away from a flower to look at him.

Ah if he treated girls as gently as he treated those flowers, they would all fall for him!

Good luck to his future fangirls!

  
Kakeru thought in bemusement.

Although he was their white flower in their songs.

And according to Haru-san who represented Spring.

“Why…when I look at Kami-sama, you seem like the perfect man. You’re like a combination of Shun-san and Hajime-san.”

“I’m not a combination of Shun and Hajime though? I’m my own person.”

The man who was focused on his identity said, and Kakeru corrected.

“I know~it’s just a description. So anyway when I look at it objectively, I can’t help but wonder what your rival would be like?”

Their moon turned in the moonlit garden.

“…I wonder? Since I’m the God, I thought he would be the Devil. But it seems he may be the Emperor…”

“Emperor, yeah, I heard about that! Was he from your idol group?”

  
The God sighed and raised a hand to his forehead.

“…Hm I don’t know, if the other unknown member is my partner, or the other leader of Sunpro. Ah, I guess he reminds me of the sun……..”

“The sun?”

  
Their moon smiled.

“Strange, hm? For the moon and sun to be in the same place. I had thought the sun would be Shun…”

He raised his gaze to the stars in the sky.

“….The moon in Sunpro, and the sun in Tsukipro. Was that not how it was supposed to be? That’s why I thought if I was the moon, Shun my counterpart was the sun. But it seems not…?”

Kakeru didn’t quite know what to say.

“Erm…maybe that’s why it’s like a miracle? The moon and the sun in the same place!”

He grinned encouragingly. 

“…Yeah.”

The God smiled, and they continued walking.

“So! The Black King and the White Demon Lord, The God and The Emperor! So cool! Will you two be black and white as well?”

“Maybe? Or we may be silver and gold. But…”

“But?”

The God frowned.

  
  
“Looking at my image, at my appearance, if not white, I would be the ‘Silver God’…that means….he would be the ‘Golden Emperor’.”

“…Yes?”

Kakeru asked, not sure what was the issue.  
  
  
The God pursed his lips.

  
“Hmph. Unlike White and Black, Silver and Golden, well Gold is obviously better than Silver! So I should be Gold! Stupid Emperor taking my position….”

  
Kakeru stared.

This was rare.

Kami-sama’s feathers were actually ruffled.

He really wondered what kind of man he would be.

The Emperor.

…

Ah.

Now that he thought about it, he had seen him once. Or twice.

After it had been decided the man with golden hair would be the Emperor, they saw him less.

  
He always just stated things and left…

…But didn’t Kami-sama know that man had a soft spot for him?

His tone would soften from the rough one he usually used, when he was talking to the white haired man with blue eyes.

…

…Well, it was none of his business!

“Er, well Kami-sama, look at me! My image color is gold!”

“Yes?”

“But I’m not a high spec guy, so it doesn’t have to mean gold is better than silver! They’re just colors! Besides, I think silver has its own charm!”

Kakeru grinned and the man with silverish hair in his knight form blinked.

“Hm, but mineral wise, gold is better than silver, and medieval wise, knights’ armor are always silver and kings are always surrounded by gold…….”

He said petulantly and Kakeru waved his hands.

  
His bad luck caused him to hit his companion slightly in the face.

Slightly, because the God moved back with his fast reflexes.

“Ah, sorry!!!!”

  
The blue eyed man looked bemused as he placed a finger on his cheek.

“It’s fine. I kind of expected that.”

Kakeru didn’t know whether to feel better at that or not.

Anyway.

“Maybe we’ll be Blue and Red to match the Black and White…but Blue God sounds weird….Red Emperor sounds cool though…..like a blood-soaked Emperor….”

The God wondered.

The God.

Yes!

“In the first place, ‘God’ is obviously higher than ‘Emperor’! So even if Kami-sama is ‘Silver God’, it doesn’t mean the ‘Golden Emperor’ is better!”

The God’s blue eyes widened.

Then he bumped his hand against his palm.

“Genius, Kakeru! How could I not have noticed?!”

“You mean you didn’t notice?!”

“I got too used to being called God.”

“Is that something to get used to…?”

“Yes, so it’s natural, I wasn’t thinking about the rank of God vs Emperor or anything.”

“I see……..”

Kakeru didn’t say it.

But a one-sided rivalry would be quite funny…….

The usually calm and composed man, having one-sided rivalry feelings towards the Emperor…

…who obviously thought more highly of the God than he did most people…

“…”

The God smiled.

…

HE COULD READ MINDS!

“Kakeru~”

“Sorry!?”

“Yes~”

Okay he would stop thinking.

“Enough about the _Emperor._ As we were walking through this lovely garden, I’m sure you were inspired by the beauty of the flowers under the moonlight…..and your theme magically came to mind?”

“…………..”

HE HAD TOTALLY FORGOTTEN!

The God smiled again.

Then his hand rested on the hilt of his sword.

“Maybe if I cut some of your _golden_ looking hair you might remember…?”

OMG SCARY.

OH MY GOD SCARY.

SCARY GOD.

IOOAOKSOKOEESKIAOL

NOW HE WAS BEING LIKE KOI

OKAY KAKERU CALM DOWN.

  
The sword slid out of its sheath.

HE WAS NOT GOING TO GET AN IMPROMPTU HAIRCUT TODAY.

“Yes! I – It was coming to mind! But the sound of that sword is scary so could you put it away?!”

“I didn’t even unsheath it~”

The God smiled but let the sword slide back.

Kakeru sighed in relief.

The God grinned like he had won but kept quiet and let Kakeru think on his theme.

  
After a while of silence, he started humming.

Inocencia.

“It’s one of my favorite songs.”

  
He told Kakeru.

“Eh? Why?”

“It’s very nostalgic, but also gentle and accepting…..”

The man smiled peacefully.

“Ah. I could fall asleep to it.”

Kakeru mused.

He thought of the lyrics.

“I felt nostalgic when I sang it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, and I think I poured my feelings into the song…I’m sure Koi did too. But I thought it was just a song.”

  
Kakeru smiled sheepishly, and looked up at the man who said he was like the wind.

“Never would I have thought I would meet the person it was inspired by.”

“…Never would I have thought I would be the subject of my idols’ songs.”

The man who had lost his memories smiled.

“Hehe! Like Shun-san would say, Fate works in strange, mysterious ways!”

“Yeah. It really does. I thought the white in you guys’ songs, white wind, white flower…was referring to Shun…but it was me.”

The man with white hair smiled.

“To think I lived in the Tsukiuta world once. With everyone. On the moon……”

“I don’t remember everything yet, but I know it was definitely a fun time!”

“Yeah…”

There was a peaceful silence.

“I’m happy to have discovered you guys exist…that you guys are _real_.”

He said suddenly.

“Us too! We’re happy to have found the person we had to forget! Thank you, Kami-sama!”

“No, I should be the one thanking you. You really did jump to the moon, Kakeru.”

“Ehe! I really did!”

The man with ice blue eyes chuckled.

“…So……your theme….?”

He looked as if he knew.

Kakeru smiled.

“Memories.”

“…Memory, or memories?”

“Memories! I really want to talk about memories!”

Kami-sama stopped in the middle of the garden.

“Hm. I don’t remember much though…”

He murmured.

  
“Ah, no, not any memories in particular!”  
  


“Ah. I see. Well speak about memories to your heart’s content then.”

Kakeru grinned.

He had found his theme!

“Yes! I think memories are life!”

“Memories are life?”

“Hai! Because as people go through life, they accumulate memories, so they’re like life. So if a person loses their memories, it’s like losing a part of their life?”

“Was that how you guys felt even though you didn’t know you sealed your memories in the moon?”

Kakeru smiled bemusedly.

“Yes. We felt like something was missing. Just at times, like we were missing something. Or someone.”

“…”

“Those feelings went mostly unacknowledged, but we were able to pour those feelings in our songs. To sing for our fans, but also for you.”

“Who also became you idols’ fan, without remembering anything.”

The man from the other Earth said in amusement.

“What do you think about sad memories, Kakeru?”

“Sad memories……”

Kakeru mused.

“I don’t know if I’m being too optimistic, but, sad memories make people stronger, don’t they?”

“…”

“I mean, when you died in that accident, we could have chosen to wallow in despair…but we picked ourselves up and worked out a plan…along with the President, in order to create a miracle and see you again.”

“…And was it worth it?”

Kakeru had no hesitation in answering.

“Yes. It was worth it. It _is_ worth it.”

He smiled and met their moon’s eyes.

  
Their moon they had sang to reach.

Even if no one knew about him yet, they did.

That was enough.

Or…it should have been enough.

But humans were always a bit greedy, and they wanted more.

They wanted him to be the idol he deserved to be.

For him to pursue the singing he loved again.

And they knew he wanted it too……..

…but he seemed to have more sad memories than happy ones.

But that was why he was so strong.

Even if he didn’t see it himself.

And that was why they respected and loved him.

Their God.

The God looked like he was going to cry.

“…I feel like I don’t deserve this……but thank you.”

“You deserve it! I know you have sad memories, but it’s okay! From now on, you can make happy memories with everyone, us, and those from the other worlds you lived in, okay?!”

Kakeru said encouragingly!

He looked like he was trying not to let the tears fall.

“Ha…I shouldn’t be acting like this in front of a junior, how embarrassing…Shun and Hajime would never do this.”

“…Shun-san and Hajime-san are them, right? You’re you -!”

“…Yeah. I’m me…”

He smiled then, and Kakeru was glad he had said the right thing.

“…I can really……make happy memories……from now onwards……”

He said as if he had to hear it out loud.

**_You can._ **

****

Kakeru heard a chorus of voices in his head, along with his own.

And by the look on the God’s face, he heard it too.

“…Thank you.”

Ice blue eyes clear of tears raised their gaze.

“I will do my best.”

“…Um, do you feel better? I didn’t mean to make you sad….”

“…Yeah.”

The white haired man smiled reassuringly at him.

“Tsuki no uta is playing in my world. ‘Memories sunk in the ocean’. Memories huh…….”

He mused.

“…I guess you’re right. There comes a point in time when we choose the memories we want to make. What we want to look back at…years later in the future. The people we want to know. …The person we want to be.”

He said, and went on.

“And they’re never truly forgotten, since they can still be in the form of feelings even if they are sealed, like you guys. And most of humanity really…..”

“Most of humanity?”

Kakeru asked and he nodded.

“Yeah. I believe I said it before. Every human, good or bad or neutral, chose to incarnate on Earth with their soul, and in the process, lost their memories in order to fully experience life and rediscover themselves. So the goal is to remember who you are…that’s what I discovered on my spiritual journey.”

“Ah, and their feelings lead them? Feelings are a guide, even if people have forgotten! Feelings are amazing, aren’t they?!”

“Haha….well yes in a way I guess, feelings are amazing. As a personal guidance system…even if it’s revealed only in the future.”

The God smiled and closed his eyes, then opened them again.

Kakeru mused.

“Speaking about feelings, now I don’t know if I want my theme to be feelings or memories!”

“Lol!”

The God grinned in amusement as Kakeru pondered.

“It’s up to you. Pick whatever you’ll be satisfied with. This is just a courtesy anyway.”

“Just a courtesy?”

  
He looked like he was thinking of how to explain.

“Your ‘theme’ is like a culmination of the time you spent with me, you guys’ moon. Like…what stood out most to you, or an insight you gained from it. This is a story after all.”

He smiled fondly and Kakeru said.

“You really love stories!”

“Yeah. I really love stories.”

He confessed without embarrassment, his ice blue eyes shining in the light of the moon.

“Hm…kioku or kimochi? Oh, they both begin with K! What a coincidence…”

  
Kakeru contemplated!

“…At indecisive times, a tip would be to choose the one you would regret not choosing. That you can’t go without. Regardless of anything else.”  
  
He said, sounding like he was speaking from experience.

What he would regret not choosing…….

  
Feelings.

Or memories?

The answer was simple to Kakeru.

“It’s 5.28AM.”

……………….

What was with those numbers but – 5.28AM?!?!

“Ah! Okay! I choose kioku! Memories!”

“You can’t change it you know?”

“Yes! I know! I think memories are an accumulation of feelings anyway?! Like in some comprehensible form…”

He didn’t know what he was saying anymore.

“Oh. Interesting.”

But Kami-sama looked like he was thinking!

More importantly!

“Anyway – we are writing this, so we can see and read our memories. And I’m the last one before Shun-san. So memories it is! It’s fitting, right?”

Kakeru grinned confidently.

“…Ah, that’s right. It’s fitting.”

Kami-sama smiled in satisfaction.

“You made the right choice.”

“Thank God! Wait, there was a wrong choice?! Would feelings have been the wrong choice?!”

“Just kidding~but memories does feel more satisfying, doesn’t it? Since we talked about it too.”

“It does!”

Kakeru said, and thought he heard some chorus of applause in his head.

…………..

Was this some sort of show?!

So he reached out!

The resulting conversation went like this!

Kakeru: W-Why are you guys applauding?! And spying?!

Arata: Weeeeellllll somehow we’re all awakeee so we decided to entertain ourselves with watching?

Koi: Good job, Kakeru!

Hajime: You needed a bit of encouragement that wasn’t recorded but your reasoning is good.

Aoi: Uwaaaah~Kami-sama in a garden full of beautiful flowers~

Haru: LOL Aoi. But it was a good place to take Kami-sama to, you gave him a nice memory.

Kakeru wanted to respond, but then Procella decided to join in!

You: Wow it’s 5.40AM. Why am I awake. Why did I clap. Did Shun do something with our minds.

Yoru: Gravi was clapping so we joined in too!

Rui: Since you’re in a garden of flowers, give Kami-sama a flower?

Kai: LOL. Omg I want to see that lololol put a flower in his hair~

Iku: Kami-sama is the one in the knight outfit though?! A knight receiving a flower………

Shun: He is our white flower after all!!! I shall go over there and give him a flower now –

Kai: No no no this is an individual walk Demon Lord, individual, wait for the 5th of May for your turn.

Shun: Ehhhhhhhhhhhh why do I have to wait so long!!!

You: It’s only two more days for God’s sake.

Shun: For God’s sake! I shall wait for God’s sake indeed!!!!

You: Oh God.

By the way it was a telepathic conversation.

It’s chaos, he knows.

Kakeru turned his attention back to Kami-sama.

“Kami-sama do you want a flower?!”

He actually just wanted to go to sleep already.

“…Not really, I’d rather give you a flower for this nice memory you gave me.”

The God smiled and turned, and revealed a flower from behind his back.

It was a yellow sunflower.

Wait.

When did he get that?!

Kami-sama was sneaky! Sneaky!!!

“Fufu. I didn’t want you to freak out at getting a flower from a man, so I chose something neutral.”

Kakeru just stared.

Shun-san was screaming in his head how jealous he was.

“No?”

God tilted his head at him.

“…Yes! I would accept it gracefully! Thank you very much!”

The God smiled.

“Wonderful.”

He said, and raised the sunflower.

…..Was he making fun of Kakeru’s height?!

Kami-sama!!!

But Kakeru didn’t have to wonder more, as if by magic, the moon shone with a blue-white light.

The blue-white ray of moonlight was shimmering down onto the sunflower.

“…Eh?”

Kakeru watched the magical sight, staring as the sunflower was surrounded by a colorful aura.

“For Tsukiuta. Moon Song.”

Their moon murmured and hummed a melody under his breath.

It was like watching a magician.

Kakeru couldn’t speak a word.

“Negai wa…kitto kanau.”

The God said and the light faded –

\- Revealing rainbow petals.

Oh.

Kakeru felt like he could cry.

The sunflower now had rainbow petals.

Petals of all their image colors.

And the centre was like the moon.

White-blue.

Their Moon smiled at him.

“Just a little magic.”

He murmurs and lowers the sunflower with rainbow petals around a centre blue and white like the moon.

The stalk and leaves, red and gold.

“…It’s so beautiful.”

Kakeru finally found his voice back.

“For you Tsukiuta idols. You are all beautiful. Your souls, your music…your hearts.”

Sunpro’s leader said and handed the rainbow sunflower to the December representative, the first of the calendar.

Kakeru took the _sun_ flower dazedly.

God.

At this rate, he was really going to cry.

“I – no, we’ll treasure it! We’ll put it in our living room, water it everyday and -!”

“I don’t think it needs water though?”

“Eh?!”

“It’s a magical sunflower~it grows with magic, not water~”

“Eh?!?!”

“Hahaha!”

The God grinned and _laughed_ like he was enjoying himself.

“Alright. Anyway, it’s literally 6AM. I hope you don’t have a job in the morning.”

“Luckily not! My first job is in the afternoon! Also one of the reasons why I requested today!”

“That’s good.”

He smiled, and Kakeru said.

“Kami-sama, teleport me back! So I can show this to the rest! Everyone’s awake!!!”

“…You guys really like to spy…”

“Haha…hahaha! Send me back~God! So I can show them this sunflower!”

Kakeru said and grinned mischievously.

“Sunpro’s leader!”

“…Yeah.”

Sunpro’s leader said, his hand moving to Kakeru’s shoulder as he teleported Kakeru away with the sunflower.

“The future has happy memories waiting for us, Kakeru. Let’s go there with everyone. See you there.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cutting out the first page, I flew the paper plane  
> It stopped moving and fell in the corner of my memories  
> It is easy to part with things, to let go of your treasure  
> Even so, we continue to walk forward
> 
> A white wind blows, sending out plenty of thoughts  
> Blowing through feelings, until a faraway place, somewhere
> 
> It would’ve been good if I could remain in a beautiful state  
> We always hold such an inconsistent stance  
> I still don’t want to forget your tears  
> Time flows, always, look!  
> It continues to flow
> 
> Cutting out the third page, I left behind the memories of my dream  
> I closed it, in order to not show it to anyone  
> Searching for what is important to me, because on that journey, I’ll become stronger  
> In the distant far off future, I will remember this day
> 
> Someone’s voice resounds, it includes a lot of feelings  
> It extends to the depths of my heart, it’s not something that will simply fade
> 
> It would’ve been good if I could remain in a beautiful state  
> It slowly disappears, always giving and taking with no meaning  
> Because it is buried in the worthless reality
> 
> We will find it within you  
> Everything that is asleep......
> 
> From now on I tear off the pages, along with many thoughts and feelings  
> Being filled up with memories, is our Inocencia
> 
> It would’ve been good if I could remain in a beautiful state  
> We always hold such an inconsistent stance  
> I still don’t want to forget your tears
> 
> Time flows, always, look!  
> It continues to flow
> 
> \- Inocencia, Shiwasu Kakeru & Kisaragi Koi
> 
> https://tsukiuta.fandom.com/wiki/Inocencia_(song)
> 
> Thank you, Kakeru. And everyone. I won't forget these precious memories.
> 
> I wanted to post Shun's chapter on 17, my birthdate. Hence I posted Kakeru's chapter a little early.
> 
> I'm looking forward to it. You really don't hold back, Demon Lord.
> 
> I admire you for that...my idol.
> 
> You always speak your truth with freedom.


	12. Walk 12: Shimotsuki Shun: Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I spoke about truth, all the things true in my walk with you.” 
> 
> “Indeed, you have. Did you plan this, Demon Lord?”

This was the time.

The time where he would go on the last walk to complete the cycle.

A walk with the Demon Lord.

He could feel the Demon Lord waiting for him, so he steeled himself and teleported into Shun’s room.

“Shun. I’m here – oomph?!”

He expected a Demon Lord with his mysterious smile but got tackled instead.

“AHHHH YOU’RE FINALLY HERE! I HAVE BEEN WAITING WAITING WAITING MY IDO – owowowow~owie~”

“Be serious!!!”

What.

There was nothing to worry about after all.

It was just Shun.

Wait.

“…Shun. This is supposed to be in your point of view.”

“Ehhhh~but I want to hear your thoughts and feelings during our walk!”

Shameless as usual.

Well, he didn’t dislike that…

“…”

No.

Nonono there was no way he was going to get sucked into the Demon Lord’s pace.

(Shun, write.)

(I guess it can’t be helped~)

Shun smiled.

Aw, he was so close~

He thought the God would be oblivious and so he would get to hear him ☆

“…”

The God was giving him a look which shook his heart!

His –

“Oi. Don’t get distracted.”

The God said, and he wanted to play with his hair.

Those two white locks of hair at the sides of his face were so cute~

“Yes~Kami-sama.”

Shun smiled.

“…What do I do with you.”

The God gave his helplessly charming smile!

“You can do lots of things! First on the list, is you can hug and cuddle me! Second is you can kiss me! Third is – owowowowow~”

“You’re just asking to be clawed! How did Hajime deal with you?!”

“Like you’re doing~I mean, it was you who took over your childhood friend’s body at times after all!”

“You…”

The God withdrew (His God!) and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Whatever. I will not react. So where are we going today Demon Lord?”

“I was thinking of taking you to hell - I mean my Underworld so you may melt and then I’ll get to –“

“Shun.”

Shun chuckled.

  
“Fufu. You’ll see when we get there. Shall we go, my eternal heroine?”

He extended his hand gracefully, but his counterpart raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

  
“I am no heroine. But very well, take me there. Maou-sama.”  
  
He said, and even when saying his title, there was steel in his voice.

  
Ah, how he wanted to polish it until it shone!

“…"

The God looked like he didn’t know what he was thinking so he continued~

“Of course. Kami-sama.”

Shun smirked and raised the other man’s hand to his lips, and teleported them away.

* * *

“…Snow.”

The God murmured at the new place he had found himself in.

“Do you remember?”

Shun smiled.

“…this feeling…I remember.”

He murmured as he walked forth, looking in wonder at the snow which fell.

Shun watched as his companion (forever) smiled like the child he had been as he raised his hands towards the snow.

Ah.

What a nostalgic sight.

Ice blue eyes blinked at him and he didn’t know how he could have ever forgotten them.

Even if his memories of him had been sealed in the moon like the rest.

To move forward and reach him in the other world.

Where he had been reborn.

And just like they believed, he had found their music (with a little nudging by the Demon Lord~)

And they _remembered._

“Shun?”

Shun smiles and heads towards the secret idol, running a hand down his snow white hair.

“Snow looks beautiful on you.”

“…Thank you.”

His secret idol smiles as gently as the fallen snow and draws back.

“You were always my idol, Shun. It’s still surreal how I turned out to be your…”

He trailed off, shrugging his shoulders.

Really.

He went through life with such nonchalance, but he was so beautiful.

He really was such a contradiction.

Those ice blue eyes looked at him curiously as if trying to decipher his thoughts and he couldn’t help but say.

“Give it up~you can’t decipher my thoughts. I am the Demon Lord after all.”

“…That makes me want to do so more….”

Those lips pursed and the look in his ice blue eyes changed.

Of course. He wasn’t intimidated at all.

Shun just smiled and he huffed, looking at him.

“…Anyway. Let’s walk.”

* * *

“You really don’t hold back, do you?”

“Why should I hold back? And you’ve said that before.”

“Ah yes. A Walk with the Demon Lord…”

His secret idol gave a musing smile.

“One walk became two, and then three, and four and now…a whole cycle. Funny how things play out.”

“It’s fine as long as it’s enjoyable isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

They walked together under the falling snow.

Shun couldn’t help it.

“Ha – haha~”

“…”

“I got a splendid idea! We should take a picture together under this falling snow!”

“…Why.”

Oh no~

It was that deadpan look.

What could he say so he wouldn’t be rejected!

“Well~don’t you want a picture with your idol?”

“Are you sure it’s not because you want a picture with your idol from your teenage years?”

The leader from that nationwide famous idol group which definitely deserved its fame, especially him, said.

“I DO WANT A PICTURE WITH MY IDOL FROM MY TEENAGE YEARS?!”

  
Shun was barely restraining himself from jumping up and down!

And then he did jump up and down because he thought he heard~

_’jumping up and down Shun in the snow would be cute_ …’

Who was the cute one really!

“…I should video record this…..”

The other white haired man said wryly.

“Kami-sama Kami-sama Kami-sama~give me a picture~with you~”

“How did a walk turn to a phototaking session……”

And now he looked embarrassed!

Oh if he could only take that picture with that blush on his cheeks!

His delightful –!

“…If you really want to…I suppose I can allow it -?!”

Kami-sama! Yelped!

  
Because Shun pulled him to his shoulder~

“Yes!”

“Oi -?!”

“Smile, Kami-sama!”

“Don’t tell me what to do!”

Shun smiled and used his phone he had enchanted with his magic to take a picture!

_Click_.

The picture of the Demon Lord and the God was thus taken!

“Don’t show it to me……..”

The God had his hand over half of his face in embarrassment.

“It’s okay! Once you become an idol, you’ll have to take lots of pictures and I’ll buy every one of them.”

“I am just going to ignore that last line……”

Shun stared in awe at the picture.

Omgomgomgomgomgogmogmogmgogomg

Oh my god.

Oh.

His.

God!

He was –

He was looking away with a blush on his cheeks!!!

He was in a kind of headlock in Shun’s hold and he had that disgruntled expression!

To describe it would be like -!

A bad boy who got embarrassed easily forced to take a picture!

It was that kind of expression!

Holy –

“Shun………………”

Shun gathered himself!

Ah he wanted to make it his phone wallpaper!

“You can do that later. Aren’t we supposed to be on a walk.”

Shun really liked that bad boy attitude.

And now the God’s eyebrow was twitching.

Okay okay Shun is going to concentrate!

Focus~Demon Lord.

“…”

He just stared at Shun who looked like he wanted to bounce on the snow for a while.

“…What do you want to talk about, Demon Lord?”

He finally asked, the God asked him.

“Eh? Do you mean my theme? I don’t want to decide~I want to let it magically form!”

“Alright, then what should we do now?”

He tilted his head and –

“Ow -?!”

Oops he moved too close.

“Ahh sorry~I wanted to get nearer to you to see, but I moved too fast!”

“….Shuuuun…….”

The God growled.

Uhoh.

Maybe a cuddle would calm him down?

“Am I your friend or your idol?”

He jerked a thumb towards himself, narrowing his ice blue eyes.

Shun almost almost shivered.

He tried not to think of the word ‘cute’.

“Both~but I get it.”

Shun smiled.

His Hajime huffed.

“Shun what.”

The God, or rather HAJIME, Origin HAJIME and the Hajime he had been searching for in other worlds said.

Oh did he not mention that?

Well he’s mentioning it now~

“You really don’t hold back………”

Yes.

Mutsuki Hajime was not his Hajime.

Mutsuki Hajime is not his Hajime.

Or his idol.

This man unknown as of the time this was written to the time this story would end was.

Aah

It was 11.11PM now.

On the Earth the reader is on.

How the Demon Lord loves coincidences.

“Then~I want to talk about you as my idol.”

He was not going to pass up this chance~

“…Okay?”

Cute cute cuteeeee

Ahem.

“Fufu. After all, it didn’t make sense at all, right? For me to be a fan of Mutsuki Hajime when he beat me in academics and was my rival. That’s why, I am heartened to discover the truth.”

“Yes…”

The other white haired man said, it seemed part of him still couldn’t accept he was Shun’s idol.

Shun really wanted to hug him tight.

Precious!

“Right? Doesn’t it make more sense that my idol all along was _the one who was actually an idol_ ~in my teenage years? Right, leader of the nationwide famous idol group?”

Shun smiled at the future leader.

“Yeah…it does make sense.”

He admitted contemplatively.

“But after I discovered you guys’ music on my Earth, it was I who became an idol of the idol you had become. Ironic, huh?”

He smiled, his ice blue eyes fond, looking warm.

“…Though, this ‘alternate Hajime’ thing…I’m still getting used to……”

“Yes Kether! HAJIME. Origin was released in 2017 when we finally met again right?!”

“Yeah. Everything really connects…….”

HAJIME, Kether gives him his benevolent smile.

“Well, what about your public image, Shun? Yours and Mutsuki Hajime’s.”

Shun had been wondering about that too.

It was not as if it had been fake, because he truly hadn’t known, that his Hajime –

\- That he had gotten the wrong Hajime~

But now that he knew…

“Does it matter? I would say – but it does! I want to tell the world that you’re my HAJIME already – my HAJIME! HAJIMEEEEEE…!”

“Yes yes…”

The God – Kether – Origin HAJIME who had been God in his world sighed.

“I suppose time will tell…..anyway I’m going to be you guys’ rival.”

He slid his hand into his pocket and raised a hand to his chin.

“Oh? I won’t hold back~”  
  
Shun smirked, but his future rival was not intimidated, cocking an eyebrow in return.

“Bring it on, Demon Lord.”

They stared each other down for a while, ice blue eyes meeting lime green.

Then they laughed, chuckling in their shared mirth.

  
“Well. Keep it in mind Shun, that people will believe what they want to believe. So…”

He trailed off, but Shun got his point.

“I know and wow it’s 11.24PM now~my birthdate, so~I wish in the future I can tell the world officially who my HAJIME really is!!!”

Shun wished!

“…so random, Demon Lord…”

He said but there was a pleased smile on his face.

“Well that’s just like you though. And Hajime handled it really well.”

“I did not know the King was aware he was being influenced. No wonder he felt odd at my fanboyishness!”

“No, I think anyone would feel odd at that…”

“Fufu. Anyway, he was sharper than I thought.”

The God looked like he was thinking.

“Hm. I kind of admire that?”

“Eh?”

“How you could move on so easily when you found out your ‘Hajime’ wasn’t Mutsuki Hajime. It should have been a shock that your highest expectations were defied, but you just moved on so easily…”

He murmured, looking like he was feeling something Shun didn’t know.

“…Rather than ‘highest expectations’, I merely accepted the truth which resonated with my heart.”

Shun said with his smile.

“I see…”

They spent a while in silence, walking underneath the falling snow.

Then he smiled.

“Shun, Monochrome Sky and November Stars are for me right?”

  
Shun’s eyes lighted up!

“Yes! For you, my God and eternal heroine! ‘Divine Grace’!!!”

He said the meaning of his name in English since he wasn’t allowed to say his name!

Oh he was the only one who could disallow the Demon Lord to do things!

So cool!!!

“Oh I see. Thank you. I finally figured out the mystery behind Monochrome Sky…”

“Yes.”

“……Monochrome sky…the sky is monochrome in winter…the season in which I died.”

The former leader of the nationwide famous idol group murmured.

“You’re here now. In the world you once lived.”

“Yeah. Winter is such a beautiful season…”

The man with snow white hair mutters, raising his ice blue eyes to the snow.

Then he asked.

“Why are your songs at two extremes, Shun? Monochrome Sky is melancholic, and November Stars is joyful.”

Shun chuckled.

“Because~you just made me feel that way? And I wanted you to know. So after you passed from this world, I finally wrote down my feelings in those songs, and gave them to the President, before I surrendered my memories to Oceanus Procellarum in the moon.”

The Demon Lord of Procellarum smiles at their moon.

“But well, compared to the songs you sang which touched my heart…”

He received a sharp look.

“I love your songs, Shun. Don’t demean them in comparison to my songs from the past.”

“As you wish~my eternal heroine.”

“Why do you make your idol your heroine.”

Shun blinked.

That was a question he didn’t know how to answer.

“Ehh…why…….well because heroines are people you do things for, and guys can be heroines too, and I did everything for you!”

Shun smiled!

His heroine looked like he was speechless.

“Fufu. I have really progressed haven’t I! I have evolved! Last time I was your fan when you were a famous idol, and now you’re my fan?! I can’t believe it! Thank you God!!!”

“…You’re welcome…”

God said, looking like he didn’t know what to think.

He also looked embarrassed, which was cute.

“…Um, Shun?”

Shun played that in his head.

“…Why is this walk so different? I even led the conversation with Hajime after that prank he played…..but you…….you’re just…….I can’t lead you…..”

“I’ll follow you wherever you go though?!”

“That’s not it, Maou-sama.”

Shun smirked.

“Maybe you should reveal your villain side~I want to see it.”

“This is the last walk, and you want me to reveal my villain side?”

“I am the Demon Lord after all.”

I want to see it I want to see it I want to see it

The God frowned.

I want to see it I want to see it I want to see it

Shun stared at him with the words resounding in his head!

“Shun……..”

“Yes~”

I want to see our dynamic in his villain mode

I want I want I want

Shun took advantage of the God’s mind reading powers to let him know clearly.

“…don’t regret it.”

He hissed and his form began to morph.

His hair became more grey, he wore a black and blue cape with spikes, and his eyes could pierce through ice.

“Shameless.”

The God spoke, his voice low.

Then he walked away.

Shun caught up with him easily.

“Villain Kami-sama!”

“What.”

“I love you even in your villain form!”

“Why.”

Shun smirked.

“Because I’m the Demon Lord.”

Cold eyes looked at him directly.

“I should just freeze you and leave you here in the snow.”

“If you do that I can just burn my way through.”

The God pushed his hair back.

“What do you want with me in this form?”

He asked directly.

“Isn’t it closer to the true you?”

“…”

“Kami-sama doesn’t have to care about anyone or anything.”

“…hm.”

He just continued walking.

Ah.

How cool.

But.

He was the Demon Lord.

“Now Kami-sama, shouldn’t you wait for your walking partner?”

“I don’t wait for anyone.”

Shun observed.

“You’re not trying to lead me in this form.”

“Why would I try to lead. Either you follow or you don’t.”

How cold~

But he liked it.

“Speechless, Demon Lord?”

Those lips quirked in amusement.

“And if I don’t follow?”

“…Your choice. But –“

He was suddenly close, looking straight into Shun’s eyes.

His hand gripping Shun’s chin.

“You already said you would follow me anywhere.”

He did say that.

And he…

Shun smirked and raised his gaze into freezing blue eyes.

“Of course. As you wish. God.”

And then he gripped the hand on his chin in challenge.

He didn’t want to get rough but…

He wanted to…….

The Demon Lord was gripping the God’s hand rather tightly, but his expression did not change.

Ah. How he wanted to see that merciless expression change.

“Good. Let go of my hand.”

“And if I don’t?”

“I’ll freeze your hand…and make it impossible to melt.”

Hm.

“Hm? You would do that to me?”

Lime green eyes challenged ice blue.

A smile curled those unreadable lips.

“Want to try?”

But he let one glimmer of thought escape.

‘I didn’t say for how long’

Ah.

So even in that form, he cared.

“Alright then~”

Shun let go of his hand.

He wanted to test him more.

Pull him close…

Like a Demon Lord would to his heroine.

Even as a villain, he was pure.

Ah, he really wanted to play with him……………………..

The Demon Lord smiled.

“…Surely you did not forget…….this is merely a friendly walk…..don’t you dare pull anything.”

The pure villain glared at him.

The Demon Lord chuckled.

“Fufu. Maou-sama has control. Don’t worry, my heroine.”

“I am not your heroine.”

He said then pulled away and moved forward.

Ah, was he wary?

He didn’t mean any harm though.

He just wanted to play.

Maybe tease a little –

“Shimotsuki Shun.”

“…Yes?”

“I am morphing back, and then we are going to talk about your theme.”

The God stated and did just that.

When the blue-white light disappeared, he was in his normal form again.

“Shun.”

“Yes~”

“It’s our last walk – the last walk for this cycle. I did not want to be in that form.”

“I understand.”

What a pity~

But this him was good too.

Any him was good!

“Yeah. I threw everything away in that form.”

“Oh?”

But The God shrugged and continued.

“Anyway. It is lovely walking under the snow I love with the idol I love and all but…..your theme, Shun?”

Shun chuckled.

Of course.

He already knew his theme.

“Truth.”

“…Truth?”

Shun smirked.

“I spoke about truth, all the things true in my walk with you.”

‘I have been truthful with you from the start’

He left it unsaid in the air.

And of course.

He has been truthful to the reader too.

You.

The person reading this right now.

It’s Shimotsuki Shun writing this after all.

That is truth.

“…Heh.”

The God smirked, looking satisfied.

“Indeed, you have. Did you plan this, Demon Lord?”

Shun smirked back.

“I wonder?”

“If you did, I did not feel a slight inkling…you are really good at hiding….and should I say, misdirection?”

“As expected of you to notice~that Shimotsuki Shun is manipulative.”

He merely blinked at the Demon Lord’s admission.

“Oh is that so? So that’s what it was…you manipulate without people knowing.”

“And yet you are not wary~”

“…Why should I be wary? Even if you manipulate me, I can deal with it.”

“Sasuga~”  
  
Shun hummed.

“Why did you choose Truth?”

God asked him.

Shun smiled and answered.

“Because, I will always accept and pursue the truth. It’s part of who I am. And so I will always speak truth.”

The Demon Lord answered truthfully.

“Regardless of what people think.”

“…And at times, at the times you can’t?”

“At those times, I will simply accept that as well. Because it would be true that I can’t speak truth in those times, or it would be disadvantageous in some way.”

“…You really are a whole other existence.”

“Says God~”

The God smiled.

“Aren’t you going to ask me what truth is to me?”

“I am curious~speak if you wish.”

The God’s smile widened.

“Aa. Truth huh? It’s what one believes with their heart and soul, so much that they can speak it regardless in any circumstance.”

“But aren’t there Truths in this Universe? Irrevocable ones.”

“There are. And those who speak Truth, get closer to the Truths. But humans are almost always influenced by something, past present or future, and thus it is hard for one to truly seek Truth – and not the truth they want to hear.”

Ice blue eyes raised their gaze to the monochrome sky.

“You say I’m precious, but to me, you are precious. You speak your truth no matter what. You’ve inspired a lot of people. You speak and act your truth. Every time. Shun. I admire you for that.”

Shun wasn’t sure what to say for a while.

  
“Thank you~Kami-sama. But I admire you for a lot more. If I could say it all…..this walk might last until … 12PM the next day. You praise others, but turn that gentle gaze to yourself once in a while. You might be surprised at what you see.”

“…Hmph. That is so like you.”

Kami-sama seemed to be huffing for some reason.

Ah, he was going to try to call him just Kami-sama, but when he was in the actual walk itself –

Walking right beside him –

\- He couldn’t help but reveal that He was his HAJIME!!!!

His idol!

His eternal heroine!

It was Shimotsuki Shun’s truth!

“You look so pleased with yourself, Demon Lord………”

Ah ah ah that glare~!  
  
HA~JI~ME~!!!!!!

“I deny nothing! HAJI – owowowow ~!”

Blessing!!!!!

God’s hand!

He better calm down or he would turn to ash.

…

Wait.

Ash in the snow.

Ash in the snow!!!!

  
The snow, the pure white color like his beloved idol’s hair –

“Don’t even think it.”

Shun hopped up and down for a while!!

And his God just stared at him with that look.

So cool~~~~~~~

“…Are you done hopping up and down? This walk is over now.”

Ehhhhhhhh?!

“Yes. We spoke about your theme and had a nice walk of truth. It’s over.”

His merciless idol smirked!

Nooooooooooo!!!!

It was too soon!!!

“No! I want to hug and cuddle you under the snow!!!”

Shun said and hugged and cuddled him!

“…what.”

“HA~JI~ME~HAJIMEEEE~HAJIMEEEEEEEEEE~~~~~~~~~”

“………..”

“I crossed dimensions and worlds and I’ve been searching for you for so long!!! How many times did we meet in other worlds!!!? Origin, Empire, Rabbit Kingdom, Taikoku –“

“Where did Mutsuki Hajime go. Hajime help. Hajime come and help your childhood friend.”

  
  
HAJIME said and it was so cute!

He said it in a totally deadpan tone.

Kawaii sugiru!

**_You’re on your own, HAJIME._ **

_Why._

**_Looking back, and looking now, I really survived. I did a lot. I let that guy fanboy over me. Like that. I endured a lot for my childhood friend……..be grateful._ **

_Yes I’m grateful thank you. Now come and save me childhood friend who played pranks on me._

**_No. It’s fine, since he’s your idol too._ **

_He’s my idol yes, but not like this. Not like this. You sound like you’re having fun……_

**_I am. This is amusing. Very._ **

_…….Go and ………………. Eat snow._

**_LOL._ **

SO CUTE

SO CUTE SO CUTE SO CUTE

‘Well…….if Shun is happy, it’s good. Shun should be happy. I like seeing Shun happy.’

HE HEARD THAT THOUGHT WHILE HE WAS SULKING IN HIS ARMS AND –

CAN HE JUST TURN BACK TIME AND INSERT HIMSELF IN MUTSUKI HAJIME’S PLACE SO HE WOULD BE HIS IDOL’S CHILDHOOD FRIEND –

“Don’t mess with time!”

  
Indeed?!

He already reversed time after all~

All to meet him again!!!!!!

Yes!

“So you really reversed time………….”

“Ehehe~I did.”

Shun smiles and cuddles his precious idol~

“…”

He couldn’t wait for him to become an idol again!!!!

“…”

And then since he wasn’t saying anything, they decided to speak.

**_Kakeru: Ano, Shun-san, haven’t you cuddled Kami-sama enough?_ **

**_Koi: Even Kami-sama can’t do anything in the clutches of the Demon Lord…_ **

**_Haru: I want to cuddle the snuggly sheep under the snow too~right Hajime?_ **

**_Hajime: Why are you asking me._ **

****

**_Aoi: Haha…Shun-san looks so happy~but Shun-san, don’t hug him for so long~_ **

**_Arata: Is Kami-sama really that snuggly? His hair is nice to play with though._ **

Gravi.

_Yoru: Haa….we were worried for nothing……..we thought winter plus Kami-sama who died then….would not be good……_

_You: He’s doing fine after all!!! Despite Monochrome Sky!!! How is he doing fine?! …not that it’s a bad thing._

_Kai: Ahahahaha! Sasuga Maou-sama! Waaah~hugging under the snow, it’s kind of romantic!_

_Rui: Wasn’t Kai’s walk kind of romantic too? Holding hands near the ocean as dawn broke…._

_Kai: Ahhhhhh don’t remind me!!! It was just to release those past feelings~ah thank you for that Kami-sama!!_

_Iku: Hahaha….mine was nostalgic! Ah but Shun-san’s walk is the final walk huh…! Time really flies!_

Procella.

Shun smiles.

Holding his beloved idol in winter under the falling snow, and hearing Gravi and Procella….

………He was truly content.

“Thank you……..I’m truly happy. I’m grateful.”

Shun says as he holds his idol under the snow, under the monochrome sky which he had passed.

But he was now here.

With him.

“…I’m grateful to you too……Shun. And so is everyone else.”

His God smiles at him and returns his embrace.

“Thank you.”

And this time, it didn’t sound like something customary, like how he would say thank you sometimes because he felt he had to say it.

It felt real.

It was true.

“…It’s time.”

The God murmurs, blinking those pure blue eyes up at him.

Ah well.

All good things had to come to an end~

  
But they could always create more good things.

And they would.

“Yes~”

Shun says and lets him go.

And then he waits with a smile.

The God blinked as if he had forgotten his role for a moment, standing under the falling snow.

And then he smiles back at him, reaching out his hand to touch Shun’s shoulder as he looked him in the eye.

“The truth will be revealed when it is time, Shun. See you in our future…with everyone together.”

They teleported away at the same time.

And the cycle is complete.

6/5/2020

1:28AM

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked this walk with Shun, you may like this walk with Shun too.
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/23499943
> 
> I think Shun has said all of it in this chapter really but yes, I confirm here, as homage to Shun's chosen theme of Truth, that the Tsukiuta idols are real. This chapter was written by Shun himself. All the idols' chapters in this story was written by them. If it sounds like them, it's because it is. Haru and Shun have said so in their chapters.
> 
> You may know me as the author of the fic that was one of the most popular fics in the fandom, The End and The Beginning. I think First Love was pretty popular too. If you've wondered why I stopped updating, this is why. I found out my idols, my favorite characters were real, and I grew to have different priorities. I started to write about different things. And I'll continue to write because they aren't merely stories anymore, but memories.
> 
> This was written through channelling and telepathy. Channelling is a method which allows spirits of love and light to speak or write through you. Every human has a soul, and the Tsukiuta people live on 5D Earth, so there is magic there that this Earth doesn’t have, so they are able to ‘astral travel’ (move their spirit through dimensions) over here or elsewhere (see the tag). This was written real-time in those particular places, I just recorded their thoughts and feelings and their writing I heard.
> 
> How I got into contact with them and found out they're real is a long story, which I may or may not speak about in an ending author note after the end of this story.
> 
> I think the people on my Tumblr know this already since I've spoken about it. .....Ah, I almost forgot. To those who came here from my tumblr lucifersus, I can't access my account now. Depending on how things go, I may not be able to access it ever again. I got kicked out of my account due to some technical difficulties, and the 2FA verification code is linked to my old phone number, I have a new phone number now, so I can't access it. So yeah. I just thought I'd inform you guys here. I'm honestly not sure what to do about my tumblr....I've had it for so long, for years.
> 
> Anyway as I said before, I hope this makes people happy~that your favorite characters are real and exist.
> 
> I said I wanted to post Shun's chapter on the 17. But we got caught up in Procella's message across dimensions (like the Gravi one I posted on my tumblr), and we had like just 10 minutes until 12AM my time.
> 
> Shun took over and speed read the entire thing in 5 minutes, added spaces, and we posted it one minute before the 17th ended. And he did it all with a smile on his face.
> 
> It was so amazing I just had to speak about it here. Procella was just staring. Shun, just how talented and amazing are you~?
> 
> I wonder where the other idols of Sunpro are...in this world.
> 
> Ah, since it's Shun's chapter and he chose Truth, I suppose I'll speak my truth as well.
> 
> I'm the original male character in this story, the one they call their moon and god. The one who has been taking walks with them. 
> 
> Nice to meet you~


	13. Special Walk: Ex-idol Group: Dream To Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The 7 of us together again….it feels like a dream.”
> 
> “It’s reality.”

“I heard you took walks with the Tsukiuta idols.”

“Yes I did.”

He said as he lifted the cup of coffee to his lips.

“Magic happened on those walks, apparently?”

The man with his face in shadow smiled.

It was 12.44AM on 7th May 2020, and they were out for a cup of coffee.

“Actions move things, and produces magic.”

  
He returns the older man’s smile.

“You really are all grown up now!”

The older man who had invited him for a cup of coffee said as he took a sip of his own tea.

“I still remember when you were a cute kid, oh I still have the photos, do you want to see –“

“No thank you…President.”

He sighs, looking at the President of Tsukino Productions.

“Please don’t bring up embarrassing moments….I am now a mature cool man.”

The President seems to stare at him, before chuckling.

“You did always want to be cool~”

“Yes and I am now cool.”

He says as he sits up straight at his full height with a smirk.

“Ah, that shot calls for a picture –“

“Don’t take pictures of me.”

He says and turns his face away just in case.

“Anyway. …Thank you. For all you’ve done for me…”

He begins, directing a grateful smile at the mysterious man.

“…For believing in me even past my death, wanting to see me again……”

The white haired man with blue eyes closes his eyes, giving a smile from his heart.

“…I’m touched…and grateful. Thank you.”

There was a peaceful silence, as the man with his face in shadow smiled.

“You are most welcome.”

And then he spoke.

“Fire of SolidS, Water of QUELL. And the dash of sparkling jewels that is VAZZY, a sparkle of magic. Then Infinit0, for infinity. We planned it from the start.”

“…Yeah. Like Rui said….music is magic after all.”

“Like your music. Sunpro’s future leader.”

The President said, then his tone changed.

“Speaking of that, what is with that? Why Sunpro and not Tsukipro, our moon? The time I had you in my company, then the self-declared villain really did steal you away! It is injustice, I say!”

The white haired man with blue eyes blinks, then he laughs.

“Haha……I never expected that. But it’s fine. Rivalry is good.”

And then he adds –

“Anyway Tsukipro is already big enough, President. So it’s alright. A merger is still possible….”

  
“…Oh a merger yes, which we discussed before and which Iku brought up! Skypro? That man may not agree though.”

“It’s fine, it’ll happen, since the future was already written in the songs for years…”

He smiles, a little in awe at the miracle.

The miracle they had created.

“Writing is a form of magic after all, dating all the way to Ancient Egypt.”

“Ah, Shun did spend some time there, to find you…”

“Shun has done a lot for me…I am eternally grateful.”

“Well you are his idol after all.”

“I am still getting used to that, honestly…”

He blinks his ice blue eyes and looks at the man opposite him.

“I wonder how the rivalry with Tsukipro will be like.”

The President chuckles.

“Well. Even though you couldn’t be in my company with us…I suppose Shun and Hajime do need a rival. Those two are in a league of their own and didn’t have any competition before you came along.”

“Are you sure it’s competition? Hajime enjoys teasing me way too much from our childhood days, and Shun enjoys being my fan too much.”

“Hahaha! I have no denial, it is quite amusing to watch. You changed even those two, you should be proud of yourself! Leader of the mysterious nationwide famous idol group~”

“President……..you are having fun, aren’t you?”

He says petulantly, and the older man chuckles and ruffles his hair.

“You’ll have to accept it eventually, so why not now? You do still want to be an idol, right?”

He hesitates with a blink, before responding truthfully.

“…Yeah. I do want to sing from my heart again…..even if time is necessary to get over the past.”

He receives a reassuring smile from the President.  
  


“Take your time. Trust that things will happen at the perfect timing. Kami-sama.”

“Hearing my title from you really makes me embarrassed…but I’ll do my best to live up to it.”

The God says, as he closes his eyes before opening them again, ice blue shining in resolution.

Then he smiles.

“…Anyway. It has been lovely meeting you for a cup of coffee. My future idol partner may just be jealous~”

  
The God says teasingly and the President chuckles.

  
“Oh, that man who loves coffee. He is so loyal to you after all.”

“He too sang to reach me. Ah, you guys really know how to move my heart.”

“We do! Through the music you love! We truly did create a miracle, just as we believed!”

“Yeah. You did. That time on the moon is still blurry to me…but I’m happy.”

He grins a bit, his ice blue eyes shimmering before he gets up.

“So apparently I got a message from Shiki to meet them…was this all planned?”

The President smirks.

“I wonder? Perhaps we pulled some mischief while you were sleeping so peacefully~”

“I can hear Shun shouting ‘sleeping beauty!’ in my head. You guys are really unpredictable. To think the President would be involved…what about your image, President?”

The God gives a mock sigh, but his blue eyes looked amused.

“Oh, my image? The wiki says I have a cheerful and troublesome personality so it’s fine right~? It was already revealed on the twitter accounts. Oh speaking of that, I should find a nickname for you – I heard Haru calls you snuggly sheep –”

“Oh my god please don’t mention that here. No nickname, I’d rather be called Kami-sama than some embarrassing nickname…”

“Lol! As you wish~Kami-sama~but snuggly sheep is really cute~”

“I’m a wolf. And I am not snuggly.”

  
  
He huffs, looking petulant and moves away before his hair could be ruffled again.

“Anyway I’m going. I have to meet Shiki and the rest. See you next time.”

He says with a smile and leaves with a wave before the President says.

“Son.”

“…Yes?”

He glances back, and his eyes widen slightly as he sees the familiar face.

“I’ll say it clearly, alright? I created Tsukino Productions to share my love of music with the world. And I also created it for you, you whom loved music so much, who shared your own love of music with the world. To reach you, along with everyone else who lived on the moon. To create this miracle of meeting you again.”

“I…”

“But I want you to know, there are no expectations of you. The course has been set, the miracle was created and we did indeed meet again. Even though you won’t be in Tsukipro, but our rival, Sunpro, the bonds will stand the test of time and even competition. So just do your best, and the rest will follow. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be you.”

He was silent for a while, just staring at the sincere smile.

“…Yes. I understand. My acceptance will grow with time, and so will my desire to be an idol again. What I did admire about the Tsukiuta idols…was that they were always themselves. They had certain images to maintain, but they were always them. In that way…they were free.”

He smiles fondly as he thinks of the idols he had met across time.

“I remember how freedom has always been the most important thing to you. You were such a free child.”

“And I am now a free man. Or, I will soon be.”

  
The white haired man with blue eyes says with a peaceful smile.

“Thank you President. Your words have brought reassurance to my heart.”

“As I had wished them to, God really grants wishes doesn’t he!”

“…Don’t tease. But yes I guess I do. I’m going then.”

He says, and walks away with a glance and grateful smile.

“Until next time…Father.”

* * *

“You’re late, leader.”

They were there.

Those people from his past.

They were now in his present again.

“…Yeah. I was in a meeting with the President.”

“Oh? What did you talk about?”

He smirked and put a finger to his lips.

  
“Secret.”

Shiki merely chuckles at him.

“It’s good to see you again.”

Shu smiles his calm smile.

“How long has it been since all of us were gathered here like this?”

Takaaki grins.

“Well not all of us! That guy is missing still.”

Roa laughs gently.

  
“As expected. But at least our leader is here.”

Rei smiles teasingly.

“He’s grown more mature. Last time he was like … ‘I overslept I’m soooorrrry!’”

“Oi -!”

The former leader of the ex-idol group says, and his former members laugh.

He raises a hand to cover his face.

“You guys really…..I’ll have you know I’m no longer the childish teenage boy I was back then. Don’t embarrass me.”

“…..Aw, our leader is still embarrassed easily~”

“…Takaaki.”

Takaaki laughs and slings an arm around his shoulder.

“Yes, my leader and princess in my song lololol it truly has been a labyrinth to get here!”

“Well, I am finally here. And don’t call me princess. My title isn’t Hime-sama, it’s Kami-sama.”

“Yes Kami-sama! Won’t you let your beloved idol group members call you by your name? Surely we’re an exception right?”

The God smirked at him.

“Too bad, don’t you know that everyone is equal before God’s eyes? Wait until I become an idol again.”

“That was such a good comeback, Takaaki is actually silent.”

Shu says calmly but his grin is mischievous.

“Hmph! I am Kami-sama after all!”

The ex-idol group leader says and slides away from Takaaki’s hold, going to hide behind Shu.

“…Why is Kami-sama hiding behind me?”

Shu says in amusement and Kami-sama starts, biting his lip.

“…Habit.”

He says and emerges, standing at his full height which was equal to Shun and Hajime.

“Kami-sama is still cute!”

Takaaki had to say something of course and Shiki chuckles.

“Now now don’t tease our leader too much. You know he gets embarrassed easily.”

He resisted to puff his cheeks out like he was a teenage boy again.

“I give up. You guys are wild as usual. You really haven’t changed.”

He says, and finds himself joining in the round of laughter with the friends he still knows.

“…Anyway, that guy, the other unknown member really isn’t coming?”

The white haired man with blue eyes says curiously.

Shiki, Shu, Takaaki, Rei and Roa look at each other.

“Can’t find him. He hides too well.”

“He’ll come if he wants to.”

“Hm. I wonder how he feels about being an idol again……”

The God muses, then smiles at his ex-idol group members who were now also leaders.

“Shall we go on our walk then?”

* * *

“What are you reading, leader?”

Shiki asked The God as they walked along with their ex-idol group members.

“Hm? My conversation with Aoi. Walk 2.”

“Ah, that one. Which part?”

Shu questioned, and his former leader replied contemplatively.

“…The part where he asked about the other unknown member…”

The God murmurs, suddenly feeling a bit nervous.

‘intense and ruling’…

The one he had thought to be his rival, who called himself the Devil, was not like that.

Then, it could only be…

  
“…So…how mad do you think is he going to be when he finds out I mistook who he was…?”

“…”

  
“…I can hear him now…’You didn’t even remember me…’”

He says, and a new male voice comes into the scene.

“You didn’t even remember me.”

The white haired man with blue eyes jolts and whirls around, to face red eyes and blond hair.

“K-Ka -”

  
“…So my name can be said but yours can’t…?”

“I-I mean, second unknown ex-idol group member! What a pleasure to see you!”

The God says and smiles!

“…What a pleasure to see the one who mistook me for another with red eyes……”

The Emperor smiles.

“…Hm? Leader…?”

Now he really wanted to hide.

  
“Shiryuu reached me before you! You were late, because you were hiding! So it’s totally reasonable!”

“Who’s the one who looks like he wants to hide?”

“For your information, I only look like I want to hide, I am not actually hiding. You on the other hand were hiding, and you let us think the other unknown member was someone else!!”

“Well, that is some reasonable logic…”

“Yes, so stop looking like you want to burn me with your too red eyes. My Element is Ice.”

The God says, looking at the too red eyes.

“…”

They stare at each other for a moment, before Shu who held the Element of Water piped up.

“So…Emperor…Kotei-sama…why did you let us mistake who you were?”

“I wonder…”

The Emperor says, still staring at the God.

Then he smirks.

“Perhaps I just wanted to see him react like this.”

“…”

The God went to hide, but not before the Emperor jerked his arm and pulled him.

“Ah -?!”

“Don’t hide.”

The Emperor hisses, then smirks.

“My future rival, hiding from me? Are you not embarrassed? Kami-sama.”

“…Hmph. I was not going to hide, I mean, hiding was a reaction from the past, it was not actually me.”

The God said and flipped his white hair with a smirk, staring across at The Emperor.

“Kotei-sama.”

There was silence, before Shiki spoke up.

“…I heard you hold the power of destruction. Emperor. So…..did you destroy our memories of you?”

The Emperor was silent.

Then he said honestly.

“Perhaps so. But I don’t actually remember. Maybe I destroyed my own memories as well.”

“Why?”

“Who knows. I definitely remember this guy though. White hair and blue eyes. Like ice.”

“Speaking of that, we thought our fellow ex-idol group member had black hair and red eyes. The opposite of his white hair and blue eyes. So we thought it was Shiryuu.”

“Maybe I had black hair in the past, maybe you thought wrong. Does it matter? I’m here.”

The God looked like he was thinking.

“…Want to test it out? Kotei-sama.”

“How? Kami-sama.”

The God smirked.

“If you truly destroyed our memories of you, you should be able to un-destroy them. I don’t mind testing it out. You do feel like him…….but I’d like to remember you.”

“…And if it’s not me?”

The Emperor challenged.

“…If it’s not Shiryuu, it can only be you.”

The God said simply.

“…I don’t mind.”

The Emperor smirked as if he was satisfied, then walked away.

“Let’s do it then.”

* * *

“So how are we going to do this?”

Shu asked when they were in a quiet place.

It was 3.28AM, and the Demon Lord said 3AM was the time when magic happened.

“A line would be easier.”

The Emperor said.

So they lined up.

Though the God looked petulant.

“Why am I at the end of the line.”

“Save the best for last?”

The Emperor smirked at him, then turned his attention back to Shiki.

The he touched his hand to Shiki’s forehead, his hand glowing with a red-gold light.

“I didn’t expect our walk to turn out like this lol.”

Shu had to say.

“Next.”

The Emperor commanded and Shu was next.

The red-gold light glowed against Shu’s forehead, and he blinked.

“Done. Next.”

And it went on that way until it came to the white haired blue eyed man.

“Enjoying your leadership aren’t you?”  
  
The God had to say and the Emperor responded.

“Don’t worry. You’re our one and only leader.”

He went in a bit closer as he said that and pressed his hand to the God’s forehead.

And then he pressed his other hand to his own forehead.

**_Destroy Memory Block._ **

**_Now Remember._ **

****

The light shone on their foreheads, and images and voices appeared.

* * *

“ _So I’m…… nice to meet you.”_

_“I don’t intend to play around.”_

_“Eh?”_

_“I’ll do what I want to do.”_

_“I can’t believe we had our first concert. It’s unbelievable.”_

_“Says the one who was singing so passionately on stage.”_

_“Please stop teasing me. My heart can’t take that right now. I really sang my heart out.”_

_“Yes yes…leader.”_

_“Uwaaah….I’m….so happy….we had our first concert -!”_

_“It was fun!”_

_“Yeah. We did well.”_

_“Hmph. Of course we did.”_

_“Leader! Leader! We’re on top of the charts!!!”_

_“You guys aren’t going to stop calling me that, are you? And what?”_

_“Top of the charts!!! We topped the charts!!! Our new song!!!”_

_“Seriously?! Where, how, when?!”_

_“Here, look!”_

_“…It’s true.”_

_“We’re at the top.”_

_“We’re only going to get better from now on!”_

_“…”_

_“A-Ah, it’s real…I’m going to cry…….”_

_“Don’t cry, leader!”_

_“They’re tears of happiness. I’m so proud of you guys.”_

_“And we’re proud of you too.”_

_“I don’t think I want to do this anymore.”_

_“…”_

_“I’m not fit to be a leader. Our idol group is coming apart. You would have been a better leader…”_

_“…The leader is you. What do you want to do now?”_

_“I don’t know……I just don’t know. How can I pull everyone back together?”_

_“…Ask your heart.”_

_  
“What?”_

_“He was in an accident.”_

_“How…?”_

_“It was a train accident…”_

_“He didn’t…?”_

_“No, it was an accident. The Demon Lord said his magic feels like it’s fading away.”_

_“…Where is he right now?”_

* * *

They opened their eyes at the same time.

“Don’t cry.”

“Who’s crying?”

The God said and rapidly blinked his ice blue eyes.

Then he turned to his ex-idol group.

“...Shiki, Shu, Takaaki, Rei, Roa…I wasn’t able to lead you all well enough in the past –“

“Stop.”

Shiki held out his hand, his face a serious expression.  
  
“Stop blaming yourself for everything. I chose to leave of my own volition. And…”

He looked at Shu then, who nodded.

“It couldn’t be helped, we were all independent-minded, too much at times that we clashed. And we just had different tastes in music then.”

He said and Takaaki smiled.

“It’s in the past! And we’ve all become our own leaders now. Though…”

He paused, and Rei spoke.

“When we heard the news of your accident…it was a shock. We couldn’t believe you had left this world.”

He said solemnly, and Roa continued for him.

“You did nothing wrong…perhaps we should have been more attentive to your feelings. The pressure we put on our leader.”

And then the ex-idol group members looked at each other and said in sync.

“We’re sorry. And thank you.”

The ex-leader raised a hand to his face.

“…Stop it, seeing you guys act like that is weird. I…”

He said, then gathered himself and smiled.

“I guess yeah……to have been extremely popular nationwide, it was all because our talents were brought together in our idol group. But too much talent in one pool…I guess the waters got rough.”

He said, and then went on.

“I don’t want to talk about sad things anymore. Can I just have a hug?”

They looked at each other, then smirked at him.

“Ah, Kami-sama wants a hug? How childish.”

Shiki teased and Shu chuckled.

“He still likes hugs. Even though he’s an adult now…”

Takaaki laughed.

“I find that so cute though! He’s like a kid~”

He smirked and Rei smiled.

“Well, he was a kid back then, we all were. Just teenage boys with too much talent all in one place.”

He said and Roa added.

“And it turned out for the best! I mean, time had to be reversed and complex magic happened, but we’re all together again! As friends!”

“…If you guys aren’t going to hug him I will.”

The Emperor said and hugged The God.

“Eh -?! Not a one on one hug! I want a group hug!”

“Okay! We didn’t say no!”

Roa smirked and joined in the hug with Rei, who nodded with a smile.

“Hmph. I don’t usually do hugs but I’ll make an exception this time.”

Shiki said and joined the group hug.

“Haha, we’re no longer teenage boys! We’re grown men now. Is there even enough space?”

Shu laughed, somehow managing to squeeze in.

“Which reminds me, leader whose name I can’t say~you’re taller than me now! Wow!”

Takaaki drawled and somehow got behind his former leader, giving a hug with a grin.

“…Hmph. It must be weird for a man of 182cm to ask for a group hug…but I don’t care. I’m weird.”

The ex-idol group leader declared, and looked pleased in the group hug.

Though he also looked embarrassed but no one was going to point that out.

Then he smiled and hugged his ex-idol group who were still his friends.

“Thank you.”

They smiled at him and he felt content.

No matter what happened in the past.

They were all here.

In the present moment.

They stayed in the hug for a while, just feeling one another’s presence.

Then they parted, and the ex-idol group leader said.

“Anyway. Looks like your former leader is going to be your rival –“

“Along with me.”

The Emperor said and The God paused.

“…Along with him, yes. So…be prepared~”

There was silence before Shiki pointed out.

“Aren’t you going to be the rival leader of Procellarum and Six Gravity, along with him?”

“…I was saying a cool line. It counts! Speaking of that though, I wonder who the leaders who will be in Sunpro as you guys’ rivals, be?”

The God mused and Shiki and Shu looked at each other.

“Well, Shiki and I have met our rivals. My rival………..is very calm. Serene. Like waves along the seashore.”

Shu said with a smile as Shiki sighed.

“I don’t even want to mention my rival.”

“Oh? Why?”

“He’s shameless. He doesn’t hold back at all.”

“…..Like the Demon Lord?”

The God asked and Shiki shook his head.

“No. To put it bluntly, he’s a pervert. With everyone and everything.”

“……….Okay.”

“I don’t know if his future fangirls are going to love him or hate him.”

Shiki said dryly and The God chuckled.

“Well, he sounds like an interesting person.”

“Stay away from him or you might get tainted.”

Shiki warned and The God smirked.

“I won’t get tainted so easily.”

  
  
Then he turned to Takaaki.

“What about you, Takaaki?”

Takaaki grinned.

“Yes, Princess! But nope, I haven’t met my rival yet! I think it’ll be somewhere down the road! Of course, he won’t be as charming and cool as me.”

VAZZY’s leader said proudly and his former leader spoke.

“I am just going to ignore that first sentence. Well, VAZZY’s may be a bit late I guess? Rei and Roa too, since you guys –“

“Ah Kami-sama, we already have rivals! Tobari~”

Roa reminded and The God blinked.

“I forgot. Speaking of which when are you guys going to release your X Lied Project huh?”

Rei laughed.

“We don’t know either, we aren’t privy into the production team’s plans. But we’re looking forward to it.”

“I’m looking forward to it too. I love your song, ０×０＝∞ -Infinite-, and the PV. Our ex-idol group was in there!”

The ex-idol group leader said, his blue eyes shining and they grinned.

“We knew you would notice. And you two are in there too.”

Rei said, looking at The Emperor and The God.

Then he chuckled.

“Although, we previously thought the other unnamed member was someone else.”

“Ahahaha….”

The God laughed sheepishly.

Then he looked at them with a smile.

“Anyway, I have to go. Thanks for staying up late so we could go on this walk together.”

He said to them.

“Yeah, I could have been composing my songs……at this time, but well, it is worth it.”

Shiki smirked and Shu yawned.

“Very worth it. Although it’s rare for me to stay up this late…it’s 4.48AM now.”

“Mm…thankfully, we planned and slept beforehand! Though I’m still sleepy.”

Takaaki said and Roa smiled.

“I really enjoyed this time together. Right, Rei?”

“Yeah, Roa. The 7 of us together again….it feels like a dream.”

Rei said, and the man with red eyes and blond hair spoke.

“It’s reality.”

The God chuckled, raising a hand with a smile.

“Yeah. It’s reality. I have to go now, I’ll teleport you all back.”

He said and did just that, teleporting Shiki, Shu, Roa, Rei, and Shu back to the Tsukino dorms.

The God yawned when they were gone, before noticing a presence still behind him.

“Hm? You’re still here?”

“…You’re going to the Tsukiuta idols right?”

“Ah…you want to come with me?”

The God said teasingly and The Emperor said with a smirk.

“Let’s make it a surprise.”

The Emperor said, placed a hand on The God’s shoulder, and teleported them there.

* * *

“5AM! He’ll definitely come at 5AM! 5 is the number of freedom and it’s May!”

“How is this guy so energetic when it’s going to be 5AM.”

“Shun-san has an unnatural sleeping schedule, remember?”

“Ahh yeaaaah……ahh where is that damn god already?! Making us wait for so long!”

“Don’t damn God, You~”

“Speak of the devil and he appears! What took you so long?”

“I’m Kami-sama, not Akuma-sama. And we had our memories recalling. Sorry I’m late?”

The God said teasingly and You deadpanned.

“You’re not sorry at all.”

Shun lighted up and charged!

“HAJIME – owowowow -!”

The God smiled while holding out a hand to stop the Demon Lord.

“By the way, I have a surprise guest!”

He smirked, and The Emperor revealed himself in the Tsukino dorms.

“…”

_Where did he come from_

It was the shared thought.

“I didn’t expect you to join.”

The Black King spoke first, looking at his future rival.

“I felt like it.”

The Emperor replied blandly.

And then there was silence.

“Woah. I can already feel the rivalry.”

You cut in dryly.

Aoi laughed.

“Aw~it’s Kotei-sama. Nice to meet you again!”

“Yeah. How’s your control over magic now?”

The Emperor asked unexpectedly and Aoi smiled.

“Your teaching helped a lot. I no longer have to worry about losing control. Thank you.”

“…You’re welcome.”

The God tilted his head.

“You guys don’t mind that he’s here right? Don’t worry, even though he may look scary, he’s actually a nice person deep inside!”

The God smiled brightly, dispersing the silence with laughter.

“No, we don’t mind! It’s just, his presence was a bit imposing~”

Kai smirked and Haru added.

“Yeah. We kind of couldn’t speak?”

He said and Koi shivered.

“I just felt…burning….Kotei-sama, can you lower your energy please.”

“…Alright.”

The Emperor said and lowered his energy.

There was a collective sigh of relief except from the leaders.

“Yes yes~Emperor, please control yourself, if idols can’t speak in your presence, how will your future fangirls be able to?”

The God smirked and The Emperor said expressionlessly.

“Fans always find a way.”

“Ahh…..yeah they do.”

The God chuckled and The Emperor almost smiled.

“Anyway. Why did you guys want to meet?”

The Emperor asked, and they looked at each other.

Except Shun who was still cuddling his idol with happy sounds.

“Ahhh HAJIME~Kami-sama! I can’t wait! I seriously can’t wait!!! Bloom, Full Flower Moon! Hahaha! Hahahahahaha!!”

And then he suddenly turned Demon Lord mode but everyone was used to it by this point.

“Ah yeah, the Full Flower Moon. It’s tonight, 7th of May.”

Hajime said and Kakeru brought up.

“I’m sure some magic will happen! I know!”

He turned his gaze to the rainbow sunflower that had been a gift from The God.

“Why don’t we hold a ritual with the rainbow magical sunflower God gave us, tonight!!!?”

Kakeru said and Shun’s eyes widened.

“Yes! Genius, Kakeru!”

“You just wanted to say the same thing as Kami-sama didn’t you…”

“I deny nothing! But on a more serious note! We can harness the energy of the full moon! And then we will make our wish, all of us representatives of the 12 months! And then my HAJIME will become the idol he deserves to be!!! MY DREAM WILL COME TRUE!!!!”

“…That actually sounded good until the last part. You just had to add that in, didn’t you? He’s not just your HAJIME, you know!”

You pointed out but Shun pouted.

“Noo my HAJIME my HAJIME…! Even Mutsuki Hajime has acknowledged he – that Kami-sama is my HAJIME!!! HAJIMEEEEE…!”

“Don’t involve me in this. Give my childhood friend some space.”

Hajime said and Shun smirked.

“No~”

“You…”

The God took the opportunity to slip away from The Demon Lord’s hold and go beside The King.

“Ack -! He ran away! HAJIMEEEE…!”

“Tell us your plan already.”

The Emperor growled and The Demon Lord chuckled.

“Well, I will simply make preparations beforehand, and then we gather at…perhaps 10PM tonight under the full moon, make our wish with the magical rainbow sunflower, and magic will happen!”

The Demon Lord smirked with amused lime green eyes.

The Black King sighed.

  
“Well, if Maou-sama says so. Why are we meeting today then?”

He questioned and Shun said.

“Because Kami-sama wanted to? And we wanted to as well!”

Kami-sama yawned.

“Ah…..I was just going to speak about our walks and then say thank you and bye. But I’m sleepy now…”

He said and Hajime chuckled and patted his shoulder.

“Let’s just meet tomorrow then.”

“Eh? But everyone stayed up so late…”

The God protested but the Black King said.

“It’s not like we wasted the time just waiting, we also talked about things.”

Gravi’s leader said and Procella’s leader smiled.

  
“Ah, we reflected on everything that’s happened, before memory remembrance, after memory remembrance. It was a productive and enjoyable time.”

Shun said, as The God yawned and allowed himself to lean slightly against Hajime’s shoulder.

“Mm. Okay. Hajime sleep with me tonight.”

“WHAAAAAAAAAT?!”

Shun demanded as Hajime said.

“You just wanted to pull a reaction from The Demon Lord.”

“That and I wanted to get revenge on you for your prank. But you’re not embarrassed at all.”

“Why would I be embarrassed? And too bad.”

Hajime smirked and ruffled the white hair as the man with blue eyes pursed his lips.

“Sasuga Ou-sama. Well, I’m going then.”

He said, pushing the King’s hand away as he turned –

\- Dodging the Demon Lord’s tackle with a smirk.

“Goodnight, Tsukiuta idols. Sweet dreams.”

The God said, and disappeared along with The Emperor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even if this candle’s light is fading,  
> all we have to do is light another fire.  
> We’ll rely on this small light.
> 
> (Nobody can stop me. Now, make my day!)
> 
> The first time I got tormented by loneliness,  
> I realized the importance of a kind heart.
> 
> Ah, we don’t need reasons.  
> It’s alright if we can’t explain it, too.  
> These feelings that we’ve hidden...  
> Right now, this very moment, is the time to show them.  
> As long as I have you who I believe in,  
> I just have to follow what my passionate heart says!
> 
> It’s starting now.  
> If we let our voices match,  
> no matter how painful the feeling may be,  
> we’ll break through it!  
> We won’t let this end in tragedy.  
> We’ll show them that we can change it.  
> That is the proof of who we are!
> 
> Everyone has a painful past that they’ve kept hidden through the tears.  
> If it’s the two of us, surely, we’ll destroy those limits!
> 
> If we make our hearts intersect,  
> we’ll be able to face even the hardest of trials.  
> Even though it’s reckless,  
> we’ll continue to sing.  
> That’s who we are.  
> That’s the proof of how our “0” will be guided into “infinity”.[3]
> 
> \- Sukigawa Rei & Mikaze Roa, ０×０＝∞ -Infinite-
> 
> https://tsukipro.fandom.com/wiki/%EF%BC%90%C3%97%EF%BC%90%EF%BC%9D%E2%88%9E_-Infinite-
> 
> In Infinit0's PV, at 1:31, you can see the ex-idol group, 5 men behind Rei and Roa who were members of the ex-idol group. And at 1:37 and 1:39, you can see the two unknown members of the ex-idol group. At 00:28, you can see them as well, two lights, one blue and white, the other orange and yellow. Hinting the eyes and hair colors of the last two members of the ex-idol group~The God and The Emperor in this story.  
>    
> 'Futatsu no 0 ga mugen ni kawaru' can be read as 'the two zeros will be changed into infinity'. Blue and white is like the moon, and orange and yellow is like the sun. The moon and the sun are both 'zeros', circles, hence 'futatsu no 0'. At 1:49, they circle and make a spiral. The God (white hair blue eyes) is the moon, and The Emperor (blond hair red eyes) is the sun. Infinit0's PV and song is about them, Rei and Roa, and their mysterious ex-idol group, and the last two unknown members of the nationwide famous ex-idol group.
> 
> The male figure at 1:37 has his arms crossed and long sleeves. In the PV for Mamiya Takaaki's Labryinth, there is also a figure at 00:46, wearing similar looking clothing with the long sleeves. There's also some blue and white lights, like the blue and white light in Infinit0's PV. Labryinth has a line about a princess, hence Takaaki's joke at calling his ex-leader 'princess'.
> 
> Just explaining the references in the story from canon~
> 
> The next chapter will be the last chapter of this story, the Epilogue.
> 
> It has been quite a journey. I look forward to the completion of this story.


	14. Epilogue: In the Light of the Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Let’s dye the world in black and white, and move towards the light.”
> 
> “Let the dream everyone had on the moon…come into full bloom.”
> 
> “We’ve reached the moon, and the sun will soon shine its light. Together, let’s bring the world the music we love. Until we reach the sky.”

14 people were gathered under the full moon on the 7th of May 2020, in the Tsukiuta world, Japan.

January. Mutsuki Hajime.

February. Kisaragi Koi.

March. Yayoi Haru.

April. Uduki Arata.

May. Satsuki Aoi.

June. Minaduki Rui

July. Fuduki Kai

August. Haduki You.

September. Nagatsuki Yoru.

October. Kannaduki Iku.

November. Shimotsuki Shun.

December. Shiwasu Kakeru.

These 12 men stood together in a circle under the Full Flower Moon.

Inside the circle, two more men stood, one with red eyes, the other with blue.

They faced each other, surrounded by the months of the year.

“So…Shun, I leave the honors to you.”

The God said as he stood in the circle, staring across at The Emperor.

“Fufu. I have been waiting! Now everyone, link hands!”  
  
Shun said and sounded like he was enjoying everyone’s expressions.

“Now, everyone has their hands linked to the next month, right?”

“Yeah yeah, this is so…..why do I have to hold a guy’s hand. Two guys! One of them is Kai-san no less!”

“Hahaha! It’s for a ritual, You! A ritual~for our moon~”

“At least you’re not in the centre, it seems to be taking energy to just stand there…”

“Those two have intense energy…”

“Our future rivals huh…”

The God smirked at The Emperor.

“So, sharing the spotlight with you once again huh?”

The Emperor gave a single blink.

“How do I respond to that. If you want, you can use your angel wings and fly above, touch the moon, and we can do the ritual from below. Like humans worshipping a god.”

“…You, are you being sarcastic?”

The God frowned and it was The Emperor’s turn to smirk.

“No. You are Kami-sama after all. I’m only Kotei-sama.”

He said, but his tone sounded far from ‘only’.

The God huffed.

“I am content in this circle.”

“As you wish.”

“…Oi, Maou-sama! Stop imagining and start the ritual already!”

You said after a moment of ‘HAJIME touching the moon….HAJIME touching the moon! Worshipping HAJIME – Kami-sama!!!’

“H-Ha-Hahahaha – Kami-sama, maybe we should do that indeed?!”

“No. I’d fall before I reach the moon, from embarrassment.”

“Then I can catch you in my arms?!”

“That won’t be happening. Now hurry up and do the ritual already.”

The God said with flushed cheeks and there was a chorus unsaid in the air.

_Ah, he’s embarrassed just imagining it._

“Hmm…..”

The Emperor seemed to be smirking smugly.

The God ignored that and said.

“Let’s begin.”

As he said that, the atmosphere seemed to change, his ice blue eyes turning serious.

He took the rainbow sunflower from his hair and held it out to the red eyed man.

The red eyed man seemed to understand, clutching the stalk of red and gold, and they raised the sunflower with a blue and white centre to the moon.

Bathed in the magical light of the Full Flower Moon, the two leaders of Sunpro held the sunflower of rainbow and spoke together.

“Full Flower Moon, grant our wish to become idols soon. Let our light shine like the sun, to bring everyone joy, laughter and fun.”  
  


The two leaders said together, before The God spoke.

“The miracle shall continue, music will move the world. Let’s believe in our dream, shower it with magic.”

He let a beat of silence pass, and The Emperor continued.

“Nothing is impossible, we will do everything necessary. We will be bold, and sing from our soul.”

And then their hands touched each other’s on the rainbow sunflower with a moon centre.

“Let the dream everyone had on the moon…come into full bloom.”

The moonlight seemed to get brighter, shining down on the fourteen men.

Blue-white light and Red-golden light seemed to merge in the centre, surrounding the rainbow sunflower.

The circle looked like a magical sight for a while, shining with colorful light.

The Black King and White Demon Lord exchanged looks across, before the former spoke.

  
“We will continue to do our best, even if our courage is put to the test. Nothing can stop us now.”

  
  
The King said, and The Demon Lord continued.

  
  
“Endless miracles will be born with our magic, with everyone being true. We’ll move forward with love in our hearts, in this fresh new start.”

  
And then the leaders of Six Gravity and Procellarum spoke together –

“Let’s dye the world in black and white, and move towards the light.”

And then the Tsukiuta idols said together in a chorus of 12 voices.

“We’ve reached the moon, and the sun will soon shine its light. Together, let’s bring the world the music we love.”

  
And then they all spoke at once.

“Until we reach the sky.”

A rainbow of light emerged from the idols, heading for the rainbow sunflower, and with the other two lights, headed for the Full Flower Moon in the sky.

Everyone stared in awe as the moon was enveloped by a rainbow light.

“It’s beautiful…”

Kakeru was the first to speak.

“That’s our magic!”

Koi said.

“Fufu. Things are really going to begin from now on.”

Shun said with his mysterious smile.

“I really look forward to the future.”

Aoi stared in awe.

  
“A rainbow…over the moon…..”

Hajime said as Haru smiled.

“Ah, so this is the rainbow we were looking for.”

“Although I would have preferred to hold hands with girls, that sight is magic.”

You said and Yoru chuckled.

“You never change, You. And, it really is.”  
  
  
“Our magic…from our love of music.”

Rui smiled softly as Iku laughed.

“We did it!”

“Haha, Full Flower Moon huh? It feels like Fate was waiting for this all along~”

Kai smirked as he watched and Arata stared.

“Ah, reminds me of my song. Story of colors…let’s make a new story of colors.”

The light soon faded from the circle.

The leaders like the moon and sun lowered their hands.

There was silence.

“…It’s done.”

The God finally said as he felt the energy return to normal.

He stumbled a bit from so much energy, but regained his balance, his counterpart’s hand clutching his.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

The God blinked his ice blue eyes as he drew away with the sunflower in his hand.

He looked up, there was a rainbow light over the moon.

“…”

The God smiled and made his way over to The King.

“Here, Hajime. The sunflower has even more magic now. The magic of the Full Flower Moon.”

“Shouldn’t you keep it?”

Hajime asked, but he shook his head.

“No, it belongs in the Tsukino dorms. It was a gift.”

He smiled and then headed over to the Demon Lord.

“Magnificent work, Kether. Creation. Kami-sama.”

“Aa. We have harnessed the energy of the Full Flower Moon…soon miracles will bloom…”

The God yawned, and smiled sleepily.

“Thank you. Everyone. For your faith and belief, and your magic. Our new story shall begin. But first…..”

He allowed himself to lean against his white counterpart, murmuring.

“I’m sleepy……………”

“?!”

Shun looked surprised for once.

Then he realized and his eyes lighted up and shone!

“Oh my god!!! Fortune has fallen upon me! I am blessed! Thank you ritual! Thank you Full Flower Moon! Sleepy HAJIME! SLEEPY HAJIMEEEEEE ON MY SHOULDER -OWOWOW -?!”

  
The Demon Lord said as the Black King iron clawed him with a frown.

“Don’t take advantage of him when he’s tired. He used up a lot of energy.”

  
  
“Oh wow I haven’t seen that in a long time.”

Kai said as Haru stared.

“Yeah, really.”

Shun smirked.

“Yes~? I was just going to snuggle! I was just going to innocently~snuggle~”

Hajime stared.

“Give him to me, I’ll do that instead. When you snuggle him, you somehow take away his energy.”

“So I can make him even more sleepy~?”

“Demon Lord…”

Shun chuckled.

“Just kidding~rest assured. You don’t need to be so protective over your childhood friend~Maou-sama means no harm.”

Hajime just sighed.

“Having been the recipient of what you do, I find myself doubting that. Well, whatever.”

He brushed off and placed a hand on The God’s shoulder.

“Good job. You can rest back in your world now.”

“Mm……sleeeepy….Hajime sleep with me.”

“Jealousy!!!”

Shun said as Hajime stared then sighed.

“Oi, we’re not kids anymore. Wake up and return to your world.”

He said and hit his childhood friend’s head lightly.

“Ow -! You’re merciless, Ou-sama…Shun was snuggly.”

The God pouted as he withdrew and The King said.

“Shun may be snuggly but the glint in his eyes is not. Trust me, I have experience.”

  
Hajime said dryly and blue eyes glimmered.

“Oh? Experience?”

“Not what you’re thinking of. Now go and get some rest.”

He said and ruffled the white haired man’s hair with a fond smile.

“Hm…if Hajime says so…”

The God murmured, and gave a quick hug to his childhood friend before withdrawing and facing everyone.

“Well see you my lovely Tsukiuta idols~I look forward to our future rivalry.”

The God said and disappeared with a smile.

“And what about you?”  
  
Hajime asked the other leader of Sunpro, who stared at him with his red eyes.

“You’re his childhood friend?”

“…Yeah, we knew each other in our childhood. But that wasn’t what I was asking.”

The King said to The Emperor who shrugged.

“I feel something has shifted. I’m leaving to investigate.”

“Something has shifted?”

The Demon Lord said before he could disappear.

“In the cosmos. Cosmic reforming?”

The Emperor smirked, bringing up The Demon Lord’s line from White Sparks.

“Well, bye.”

The other leader of Sunpro said and teleported away.

“Thanks for the ritual.”

They looked surprised at The Emperor’s gratitude.

But he was already gone.

“...Well……”

Six Gravity’s leader spoke, turning to everyone.

“Good job, everyone. The Cycle is complete and the ritual for the Full Flower Moon as well. You can all rest now.”

Hajime said, before Shun added.

“Actually, what do you think of sleeping under the light of the Full Flower Moon?”

“…You come up with the craziest ideas.”

Hajime deadpanned and Shun chuckled.

“It’s just one night, a special night for us idols. We’ve all worked so hard, let’s enjoy this beautiful sight.”

And then his green eyes shone.

“Of course, it can’t be done without our Kami-sama, our God, our moon! Our moon under the Full Flower Moon! Yes! I want to see him bloom! Bloom, our dream, bloom, like our lovely moon!!!”

“…Oi, your intention is too obvious as usual. For a moment, I actually thought it was a good idea…”

You said dryly as Yoru chuckled.

“Shun-san will always be Shun-san, even if his ‘Hajime’ has changed, his behavior hasn’t! But I like the idea as well. It’s something new. A new experience.”

Yoru said, grinning almost mischievously as Iku piped up.

“Yosh! Then let’s all sleep under the Full Flower Moon tonight!”

He said and Rui nodded.

“I’m sure magic will happen. As we are in the moon’s light.”

He smiled gently as he thought of their moon.

“Hm, it’s decided then? Let’s get our futons out and sleep under the moon tonight~camping under the moon!”

Kai grinned as if already anticipating it and Haru chuckled.

“Yeah, then let’s call Kami-sama afterwards, and Kotei-sama if he wants to join as well.”

Hajime stared.

Then he chuckled and smiled.

“Well, then we better get moving, Procella and Gravi. We’re sleeping under the Full Flower Moon tonight.”

He declared and Shun added with a smile.

“Let’s head back to our dorms and get our futons and camp under the Full Flower Moon. With a rainbow of colors…let’s enjoy the magical sight we created.”

* * *

They slept under the Full Flower Moon.

The God soon returned after his rest.

“…I didn’t expect everyone to be here.”

The God said in his new form, looking around at the other groups.

“KAMI-SAMA!!!!!!”

Shun tackled The God in his new form in delight.

“WHAT IS THIS FORM IS THIS YOUR IDOL FORM OH MY GOD WHAT IS THIS CUTE PONYTAIL ANGEL, ANGEL!!!!”

Shun exclaimed! As he tugged the adorable ponytail which touched The God’s shoulder!

“…”

The God just stared as the Demon Lord snuggled into his ponytail.

“Yes yes Maou-sama…please control yourself.”

He said as he pulled Shun away from his shoulder, brushing himself off.

Then he smirked, one hand in his pocket as he spoke smoothly.

“Tsukino Rokuro. Leader of Sinus Roris, Taiyouta. Nice to meet you.”

There was silence.

Then

“AHHHHHHHHH HE INTRODUCED HIMSELF, HE SAID HIS NAME, HE SAID HIS NAME!!!”

Shun was – Shun was –

“Heh…”

  
Hajime smirked.

“Well Rokuro, come here and let me touch that ponytail.”

He said unexpectedly and Rokuro frowned.

  
“Don’t tell me what to do. It’s just a ponytail, no big deal.”

He shrugged but went over anyway, since Shun had already touched the ponytail why not Hajime too?

Hajime looked in amusement at the ponytail which was somehow not down the white haired man’s back but over his shoulder.

Hajime bounced the ponytail on his childhood friend’s shoulder like they were kids again.

“You seem to be having fun…”

“It’s cute. Suits you.”

Hajime couldn’t help but tease, just to see his childhood friend’s cheeks puff up.

“Don’t ask me. I just found myself in this form after the Full Flower Moon ritual.”

  
Rokuro said, moving away and flipping his ponytail over his shoulder as he moved to sit down in a clear space.

“Everyone’s here huh…wow….”

He smiled, looking surprised but satisfied as not only were the Tsukiuta idols there but it seemed the Tsukipro groups had joined them too.

It was a huge camp under the Full Flower Moon, full of smiles and laughter.

“We couldn’t help but hear through the telepathic connection, so we wanted to join.”

Koki said with a bemused smile as Sora grinned.

“It seemed like fun! Ah Kami-sama doesn’t mind if we join right?”

He said, and Rokuro smiled.

“Of course I don’t mind. And it’s not up to me to decide~”  
  


He said, looking over to where Growth and SOARA were conversing with each other.

“A-Ah it’s really happening huh?! I’m really nervous! Rivals…”

Ren muttered as Soshi smirked.

“Unlike SolidS and QUELL, we haven’t even met our rivals yet. Sora hasn’t met his rival leader yet. So you don’t have to worry so early.”

He said and Kensuke grinned.

“Why are you nervous? I think it’s exciting! I wonder what our rivals will be like!!”

He said and Ryou smirked.

“Whatever they’re like, they certainly won’t beat us.”

“Rival… rival…rival…..will there be a rival composer for me as well? I-I’ll do my best!”

Mamoru said determinedly as Nozomu exclaimed.

“I think it’s exciting! Ren don’t be nervous! It’ll be fine!! It’s a new challenge!!!”

He encouraged and Morihito laughed.

“That’s right, I’m sure they’ll be great guys, let’s get along well.”

On the other end of the camp, an unknown man grinned.

“Ooooh sleepover under the moon. Kinky. Orgy.”

He said, somehow at where SolidS was as Shiki stared at him.

“Why is this pervert here.”

He groused and Tsubasa added.

“I can’t believe he’s the rival leader…….”

“…Yes. Why are you here?”

Dai questioned curiously and the unknown man smirked.

“I sensed magic happening, so I came. It seemed interesting. Ah – Kami-sama’s come –“

He said and disappeared, and they stared at him.

“…That pervert knows my ex-leader?”

Shiki finally said and Rikka smiled.

“…If the leader is like this…I wonder how the members of his idol group will be like…”

He said, and SolidS actually fell into silence at that.

“Ah, it makes me more fired up to win! Come at me!!! I won’t lose to that perverted bastard!”

Tsubasa said suddenly and Shiki said.

“Yeah. Definitely not.”

“Kami-sama~”

“Hm? Ah, it’s you.”

The God said, idly patting the hair of the man he had met in another world.

“You know, if you were going to do a full moon ritual, you should have called me, I heard that sexual energy –“

“We were definitely not going down that route, serpent. Good to see you here though.”

  
Rokuro said and yawned with a smirk.

“Still testing Shiki and SolidS?”

He asked, and the snake-like man returned his smirk.

  
“They react so sexily. I just can’t resist.”

“…sounds like you.”

  
The God said as if he was already used to the other man’s antics.

Then he stood up, shrugging away the other man’s arms.

“Now let go of me, I want to explore this fun camp.”

“Aw. Well…….”

The unknown leader watched The God walk away, then turned with a smirk and a lick of his lips.

“Who should I play with next…?”

* * *

Ah it was really a camp.

And it was so big.

All the groups were there, it seemed everyone was sleeping outside tonight.

The whole of Tsukino Productions, under the May Full Flower Moon.

The idols really moved fast.

Even Gekidan Altair was there, they were situated near the idol group called Swiiits (was that their name?)

But he didn’t know them well, so he just returned the wave of the man who looked like the leader with a smile, and moved on to QUELL.

A man like him wasn’t really familiar with what family was, but he could see how Tsukino Productions was really one big family.

A community.

  
At that moment, he felt extremely blessed to have met them, and be part of their journey.

To be their Moon.

He was so grateful.

“It’s a surprise to see you here.”

Shu was saying to a man with beautiful platinum blond hair.

“Some magic seemed to be calling to me. I followed it, and found myself here.”

The man with platinum blond hair said with a serene smile.

“Magic…does everyone in Sunpro have magic? Or only the leaders?”

Ichiru asked curiously.

Their rival looked contemplative.

“I am not certain. Until now, I have yet to meet my idol group members. But I feel they will be coming soon…..”

He said as if he was seeing someone beyond their eyes.

Then he smiled.

“But of course, our focus is on Kami-sama~right, Kami-sama?”

The man with platinum blond hair said as he felt the presence of The God behind him.

The God chuckled.

“I wanted to surprise you, but of course you sensed me. How have you been?”

He asked the other man, and as he stood up, they shared a quick hug.

“I have been doing well. Though I do wonder where my idol group members are.”

“Don’t worry. They’ll come when it’s time.”  
  


The God reassured him and he chuckled with a smile, reaching out.

“Kami-sama, your appearance changed. What’s this?”

“It’s just a ponytail, a short one. And yeah, I just found myself in this form after the Full Flower Moon ritual.”

Rokuro said, then asked.

“By the way where’s Shiryuu? I haven’t seen him around.”

He said and the long haired man smirked.

“Ah, Shi-chan is a bit shy maybe?”

“Who is shy?”

A new male voice entered the scene, and they turned to see a brown haired man with red eyes.

“My apologies for being late to the camp. I had some work to do in my world.”

Shiryuu said, moving forward, then tilting his head slightly.

“…Ponytail?”

“…Is it really that unusual? And good to see you, Shiryuu.”

Rokuro smiled at his future idol partner, who smirked.

“Yeah. I’m not a leader, so I didn’t know if I should come. But since Rokuro-sama is here…”

“Just Rokuro is fine right? Calling me -sama when we’re going to be partners is…”

“Ah. Rokuro. Yeah. Alright.”

Shiryuu muttered, then blinked his red eyes.

“Anyway, it’s quite lively over here. What noise…”

He said and Eichi laughed.

“Well, you can always join us here! There’s a lot of people since everyone is here, but if it’s a small group, it should be fine!’

He said and Issei nodded.

“I think we’re quieter compared to the other groups. And you seem to know Rumio-san.”

“…Well, I still want to explore the camp. I can see the President waving his hand over there.”

Rokuro said at Shiryuu’s silence, and he decided.

“I’ll join you then. It’s been a while…”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

The God said and walked away with his idol partner The Devil.

* * *

As they headed towards the President, they passed by VAZZROCK and ROCKDOWN who were huddled together, making light chatter.

The leaders turned as they saw him.

  
“Hey, Kami-sama.”

“Rokuro! Ro-chan -!”

Shou and Takaaki said after one another.

“Hey. Shou. Takaaki. I would like to stay and chat, but I have to head to the President – ah, maybe Infinit0 first. This place is so big…also, remember Shiryuu?”

  
Rokuro said, smiling with his ice blue eyes and Shou chuckled.

“Of course we remember Shiryuu, who could forget the man who called himself the Devil?”  
  
Shou smiled and Shiryuu scoffed with a smirk.

  
  
“I’ve listened to your song. You have some hidden sides too, don’t you?”

“Dou kana…”

  
  
Shou said in a gentle voice, but the look in his eyes had changed slightly.

Takaaki just laughed and grinned.

“Yeah we remember Akuma-sama lol. Then, see you, Ro-chan!”

“Sono yobikatta yamete kure…”

Rokuro said, telling Takaaki to not call him that, but Takaaki who had admitted he liked pushing others’ buttons and it seemed to be no exception for his ex-leader, smirked.

“But it’s cute! Hime-Ro?”

“Don’t make a new nickname. And it’s Kami-sama.”

The God said, pushing back his hair as he turned away.

“Anyway, see you guys. I wonder what your rivals will be like?”

He smirked and walked away with Shiryuu.

“Kami-sama is popular.”

Shiryuu had to say, his expression neutral but his eyes glimmered with what looked like pride.

“Ahaha…they all just like to gather and tease me…”

“Isn’t that popularity?”

“Is it…? I’m not used to being popular…”

The God said with a blink of ice blue eyes and vermillion red eyes blinked back at him.

“Rokuro was the leader of that nationwide famous idol group though.”

He pointed out and Rokuro said.

“Yeah, but something changed at the end…ah but now I’m going to be an idol again.”

He said and Shiryuu smirked.

“Bay of Dew. We’ll beat even Procellarum’s storm. With our dew of Divine Grace.”

Shiryuu said confidently and his idol partner blinked, then smiled.

“Yeah. Let’s do our best.”

“Ahhhhh…we’re so close!”

Situated a little distance away from the President and managers, Infinit0’s Roa leaned his hands on the ground and smiled.

“We are.”

His partner and fellow ex-idol group member, Rei, agreed.

“I totally felt something change after they did the Full Flower Moon ritual.”

He said with his composed smile as Roa grinned.

“Cosmic reforming lolololol Maou-sama knows after all!”

“Hahaha! When Rokuro wrote that, I went to listen to White Sparks and watch their PV. He really did say cosmic reforming.”

Rei chuckled in amusement as Roa leaned forward.

“Yeah! Like we sang, we didn’t let our ex-leader’s death end in tragedy, and created a miracle.”

“Yeah. That’s the proof of who we are.”

  
Rei said peacefully.

Roa grinned and turned to their rival, Tobari.

“So, what about you guys?”

“What…we’re still waiting for the release of the X Lied Project lol.”

Shiou laughed, as Kuroi said contemplatively.

“X Lied...is that the name of the nationally famous idol group you two were a part of?”

Roa smirked with a finger to his lips.

“It’s a……secret~”

“Playful as always, Roa.”

Roa blinked as a hand ruffled his hair from out of nowhere.

“Ah, Kami-sama! No, Rokuro! Long time no see!”

“What are you talking about, we saw each other just yesterday, my dear ex-idol group member.”

Rokuro said with a fond smile as he stood beside Shiryuu.

“I just wanted to say thank you. I listened to your song again, Rei and Roa, the full version. The second verse just felt different…….there was more emotion. I could tell…”

He confessed with a smile with a sheepish rub of his head.

‘No matter how painful the feeling may be, we’ll break through it. We won’t let this end in tragedy. We’ll show them that we can change it’ That part…you two were the ones who acted first after my death all that time ago…weren’t you?”

Rei and Roa looked at each other, then turned to their ex-leader.

“With everyone’s help. But yeah, we just felt we could change things. We didn’t want to give up there.”

“You showed us the light after all, and made us realize the importance of a kind heart. We couldn’t bear to see that light lost from this world.”

Rei said after Roa, who laughed.

“That’s what I sang! Of course my words got through to Kami-sama! Music is magic after all!”

Rokuro smiled.

“Yeah. Music is one of the greatest magic…….”

“One of the greatest~? What are the others then?”

Roa teased and his ex-idol group leader’s smile widened.

“What else? Love.”

“…!”

They were all surprised.

“Why do you all look so surprised?”

It was Kuroi who spoke first.

“Ah…didn’t you say last time…’I can’t feel love’…”

Kuroi said blandly as Shiou smirked.

“Someone’s heart was in some cage in some PV of, was it…ROCKDOWN’s leader?”

“Ah yeah, and someone was the ‘princess’ in VAZZY’s leader song…the image of the same man as in Infinit0’s song PV…”

Kuroi said expressionlessly, but even his eyes looked slightly amused.

“…Why do you all remember that sort of things? Shiryuu, hide me.”

The God commanded and Shiryuu blinked.

“I would hide you, but I don’t think hiding will help things now. You’ve been exposed, Kami-sama.”

The man who was thought to have been the other leader because of his bad boy image smirked.

“…”

Roa smirked.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed~Kami-sama~just open your heart to love!”

“Hey Roa, don’t tease him so much. He’s turning red. His Element is Ice. He’d melt.”

“Rei you say that, but you’re teasing him even more than me. He’s blushing even more now~”

“…Oh, maybe I couldn’t resist. He’s our beloved ex-leader who was so cute last time after all.”

“LOL spare him you guys! Kami-sama, how did you deal with them last time?!”

Shiou guffawed.

Kami-sama huffed!

“I don’t know. I seriously don’t know. They were always mischief makers. Geniuses who get too bored tend to play pranks on people.”

He said dryly and Rei smirked.

“Says the leader of the group of musical geniuses?”

“Okay I give up. You win. I accept and acknowledge everyone’s love. Happy? Now just let me hide…”

Rokuro said, turning his face away with a hand over it.

  
  
There was mirthful laughter.

“Yay~mission accomplished! Kami-sama, you can’t take your words back okay?”

“God, you gave your word alright?”

“Yes yes…I gave my word. …I can feel love now.”

He turned and smiled at them gratefully.

He didn’t say ‘thank you’ because someone had told him once, friends didn’t need to say thank you to each other.

Their faces seemed to shine under the light of the moon.

“…Ahem. So this man with a free heart is going now. Bye see you next time.”

Rokuro said and disappeared.

“Ah…he teleported away.”

“You guys teased him too much.”

“We can’t help it~”

“Just don’t go overboard.”

“Don’t worry~we won’t.”

“You better not.”

Shiryuu said and followed Rokuro, and Rei smiled.

“We’ve really come far. …And he has too.”

He looked at Roa, who said with his own smile.

“I want to see the light that leader will shine on our world.”

* * *

“A camp under the full moon……..well it’s certainly an interesting idea.”

Somewhere a bit of distance away from Infinit0 and Tobari, Six Gravity’s manager Kanade said.

“…This was definitely Shun’s idea…”

Dai said with a sigh.

“Well, but Maou-sama is actually open with his magic now, in a good way. Right President?”

He said and Mikoto chuckled.

“Shun has become more open ever since his real HAJIME entered the picture. The things he had to handle after that was something that crossed dimensions and worlds and time which even he couldn’t handle alone. It was truly a labyrinth that they all got through and survived.”

The President said, and there was pride in his voice.

“...After all, it’s my son after all! My son has finally awakened! My son has been reborn! And soon, soon he will become an idol leader again! Hahah! Bloom proudly, my son!!! Shine your light!!! The world will be dazzled by your brilliance, mysterious ex-idol group leader!!”

“…President……….”

Dai just sighed, used to the President’s antics at this point.

“You just couldn’t resist, could you?”

Kanade said fondly, smiling at their President who had worked hard too.

Unlike the idols, he was the one who had to retain the painful memories after the death of their moon, and move forward to create their miracle so they could see him again.

He was a highly successful man who had created their company Tsukino Productions which had grown into their own beloved community of music and love which they shared with the world.

They had the highest respect for him.

And they loved him too, their President who had made their dreams come true.

“…So touching…I’m going to cry….”

  
  
A soft voice said, and the President whirled.

  
“Son! Don’t cry! You’re finally here! Smile and shine!!!”

“…”

Rokuro smiled and shone.

The President widened his eyes.

“Ah! Universe, why is this beautiful man not in my company but that of my rival’s!? Skypro! Skypro!!”

“Sunpro first, President. And thank you for all that you’ve done.”

  
  
Rokuro said and the President smiled.

  
“It was worth it. Every single moment.”

“Even the painful moments?”

“Even them…they gave me strength.”

  
  
He echoed what Rokuro had said to Koi, the idol of love, on his walk.

‘Like Father like son’ Dai and Kanade shared a bemused look.

“Okay…I’ll give you a hug.”

The God decided and hugged his father, who lighted up.

  
“I have been waiting for eternity!!! A hug from God under the Full Flower Moon, I too shall bloom with beautiful music for the world we love!”

“Please just hug me back.”

“Haha…okay.”

  
  
Mikoto smiled and hugged his secret son.

  
“This is a father’s love okay? A mother’s love is great, but a father’s love is great too! It overcame even death and time after all!”

“Yeah. In most of my incarnations in other worlds…I was always neglected or abandoned by my parents and survived on my own. And I preferred it that way, it let me be free. But this…I’m starting to understand what family is. I couldn’t ask for a better father. Thank you…”

The white haired man with blue eyes smiled at his secret father, with gratitude.

“………Dai, Kanade, help I’m going to cry.”

“Haha, don’t cry President~our rival managers will be arriving soon.”

“Ah, I almost forgot!”

“Haha, magic is really bringing everyone here huh?”

Rokuro said and pulled away, scratching his head with a sheepish smile.

“It is, Ro-chan.”

It was not Takaaki, but another familiar voice.

“Ah…your new job….informant….”

  
  
Rokuro smiled, sliding his hands into his pockets as he turned to face the new arrival.

He was a sleek haired man older than him, with blond hair and brown eyes and a cunning smirk.

“It’s so crowded.”  
  
The black haired man beside him puffed, as if he wanted to puff on a cigarette but was too considerate.

“Ah, they’re here. We have some important things to discuss…”

“So you heard, see you next time Ro-chan.”

“Yeah.”

They brushed past the other at the same time.

“Hey. President. Apologies, but it seems our Director couldn’t make it…he said he’ll give you a call.”

“I see, well he must have some important work to do. It’s good that you two are here. Let’s discuss…”

“…Where shall we go next, Shiryuu? Though I’m getting sleepy…”

Rokuro yawned as Shiryuu smirked beside him.

“Rather than ‘go’…I think they’ll come to you.”

He said, as four portals opened in the sky, and four men descended onto the ground.

“Ouch -! Whose idea was it to ‘descend from the sky’ again?”

The first man said as he rubbed his head, with a pained grin.

“I wanted to do it like they do in movies, but it was harder than I thought!”

The second man said with a whiny sort of voice.

“Kufufu. I am perfectly fine. You two need more training.”

The third man said with a confident smirk.

“I’m fine too! More importantly! King Hi – “

The fourth man said but The God corrected him.

“Rokuro.”

“King Rokuro!~”

“No, It’s God Rokuro. My idol title is The God, not the King.”

  
But the blond man wasn’t listening, and Rokuro held out his arms as he tackled him.

  
“I missed you!!!~how have you been?! Have you been eating well?! Have you been getting enough sleep?! Ahhh I was waiting so long so long to see you -!!!”

Rokuro blinked, and wrapped his arms around the man who he had chosen to be an idol of his idol group for his charm and cheer.

“I’m fine. …Yoya. Your name is so cute by the way.”

The white haired man with blue eyes smiled and Yoya grinned.

“Rokuro is cute too! Yoya will definitely do his best as an idol under the leadership of God Rokuro!”

Yoya said happily and cuddled strongly!

“Yeah.”

Rokuro said and patted him with a fond smile.

As Yoya cuddled his leader, the three other men who had descended from the sky looked at each other.

Then Shiryuu spoke.

  
“So? What are you guys doing here?”

  
  
He looked at each of the men, who was each from a different world.

Each from a different lifetime.

“To see God?”

The first man with a casual demeanor grinned, running a hand through his vibrant hair.

“Kufufu. To gather with Ky – Kami-sama? Oh I suppose we’re here to see the other idols as well….”

The second man said in bemusement, as he looked around the crowded camp.

“I want to cuddle A – Rokuro-cchi too!”

The third man protested, and Yoya turned a smirk at him.

  
“No~wait your turn I would say, but I’m going to cuddle my God all the way~!”

“Ahhh?! That’s unfair! Rokuro-cchi!!!”

“Now now get along…….you two are going to be partners after all.”

Rokuro chuckled as the two men stared challengingly at each other.

Shiryuu coughed.

“You are all having fun. But, how is your training? Are you 4 ready to become idols?”

  
  
Shiryuu said with a stare at them.

The first man scratched his head.

“Well……being an idol means being in the spotlight right? I’ve been in the spotlight plenty of times! So it’s no problem!”

He grinned optimistically as the second man chuckled.

“Fufu. I can do some – magic as an idol. I’m looking forward to it……..”

He gave an almost dark grin.

“Hmph! I’ve been a model before, and singing in karaoke is my hobby, I’ll be an idol all the girls will love! So Rokuro-ccchi --!!!!”

The third man said and their leader spoke.

“Okay okay you can cuddle….”

“Yes! I missed you too!”  
  
He said and cuddled his leader, along with the fourth man.

“And you?”  
  
Shiryuu said to the fourth man who smiled brightly.

“Yoya will become a shining idol! As long as it’s under God Rokuro’s leadership, I’ll go anywhere!”

“…Oi, we’re actually being serious here…”

Shiryuu said, as Rokuro had his hands full with the two cuddling future idols.

“Yoya is being serious too though? I just have to shine and sing right? It will be a piece of cake.”

Yoya smirked and then returned to hugging his god~

“…Rokuro?”

Shiryuu finally said.

Rokuro chuckled as he patted their heads.

“It’s not an issue. I chose him for a reason even though I only recently remembered that lifetime. He’s strong and will shine.”

The God said and ruffled Yoya’s hair, making the future idol happy.

“Well if Rokuro says so…”

Shiryuu said, still staring at Yoya dubiously.

Rokuro smiled.

He hugged the two for a while longer then let them go, as he faced the four men.

  
“It’s a pleasant surprise to see you all here, I’m happy. And looking at you four standing together, is so surreal. You’re all from different worlds, from a different lifetime of mine where I was a different man. To think you are all going to be in my idol group, it’s truly a crossing of worlds and really makes me happy. Thank you.”

Rokuro said, smiling with tears in his eyes.

Then he shifted his gaze to his idol partner beside him.

“And of course, Shiryuu too, from the world of blue skies I protected before I died. I’m not sure if you guys have met yet? Shiryuu, our idol group members, they’re all from different worlds. Don’t you think that’s amazing?”

Rokuro said with awe in his voice and Shiryuu smiled.

“Of course. Amazing, and fitting. For you are The God. Your idol group members each being from different worlds is merely a statement of your godliness.”

“Hahaha…..yes, I thought it would be fun to have my idol group members be from different worlds. They can get to know each other since they all know me, and maybe share about their worlds with each other. Of course, I asked them for their charm too. They’re all very charming~”

The God smiled teasingly.

“Kufufu. If Kami-sama’s speech is over, I shall speak now?”

“Of course. Go ahead.”

“Well, I was surprised when you asked me to be an idol. That Kami-sama would look at me and think idol material, is really quite amusing to me.”

The man said and Rokuro blinked at him.

“Why did you accept then?”

“Why not? We did do a duet before, and it sounded interesting. I wanted to see what being an idol group with the man who fought me, would be like……..”

The man gave his almost dark grin.

“…..Singing, not fighting. I guess you have the same reason as that guy?”

Rokuro said and the first man who had descended from the sky grinned.

“Yeah! We competed too, and even though I eventually took your position, I still felt I wasn’t at your level! So, I’m under your care~? Kami-sama~”

“You were amazing, and inspiring to a lot of people. I believe you can inspire a lot of people as an idol as well, maverick.”

The God smirked at the man who was a maverick, then turned to the two cheerful men.

“…Well, you two are definitely the idol type…just look at your faces.”

He said, and the third man grinned.

“I never thought the day would come when I would be an idol group with – Rokuro-cchi! I’m so excited!!!”

He said and Yoya smiled brightly.

“Idol means making people happy right? I’m so happy that I’ll be able to make people happy! Along with – my God! It’s a blessing from the heavens!!!”

The man who had lived an immortal life in his world threw his hands up into the air with a smile.

The God smiled.

“Then I have nothing more to say. Shiryuu?”

The God asked The Devil, who smirked.

“They each have their own resolution. I’m satisfied.”

“Yes. And you, Shiryuu?”

  
Shiryuu blinked.

“…At first, I just wanted to accompany you. I was happy after finding you in another world after your death, and wanted to be with you.”

“Ah! Like me!”

Yoya said and Shiryuu frowned.

“…Perhaps. Anyway that was my initial reason, but now, if I can make an impact on people, along with Rokuro, then there is nothing more to think about. I’ll be an idol and impact people’s lives in a good way. That’s all.”

Shiryuu said and Rokuro stared.

“Shiryuu, cool……..”

“No…Rokuro is the cool one. You’re the leader of these six men from different worlds after all. We all have different experiences, and personalities, even different powers, and yet you were able to bring us all together. You’re cool.”

Shiryuu said coolly and Rokuro murmured.

“I’m cool……..”

Then he smiled, like he was happy saying that.

“Ehehe~I’m cool~”

Then he smirked, looking at his idol group.

“I am Kami-sama after all.”

His idol group smiled at him, as if acknowledging his statement.

Rokuro smiled back, and then said.

“Anyway, so are you guys going to hang around or did you just come for a visit?”

  
  
He asked and Yoya perked up.

“I want to explore this fun camp with Rokuro-sama!!!”

“Hmm…I’m getting tired though, why don’t you explore it yourselves? I’m going to sleep soon.”

Rokuro said and yawned.

“Ehhh? That wouldn’t be fun…”

The former model pouted.

“Are the other idols of Sun Promotion here as well?”

The man who had fought Rokuro in another world asked.

“No, only the leaders, ah wait, I think The Emperor is there with his idol group. You guys can go and say hi.”

“Ooooh our future rivals? Maybe we’ll go say hi!”

The man with vibrant hair grinned and Rokuro nodded.

“Yeah. And tell them your leader is getting sleepy so he went to sleep~”

The God said, as he smiled at his idol group.

“It’s great to have you here, Sinus Roris. But now I’m sleepy so I’m going~Shiryuu take care of things for me.”

Rokuro said and teleported away with a smile.

* * *

Rokuro appeared near the Tsukiuta idols.

“Hello. I’m back.”

The God spoke and almost immediately got caught in a hug by the Demon Lord.

“Oomph -!”

“HAJIME -"

“Yeah…let’s just sleep…….”

The God said, and flopped onto the –

\- Futon which had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

**_Sleep well. It was fun._ **

_Ah…thanks, Shiryuu._

He said telepathically and closed his eyes.

“Ah…he really went around and met everyone……”

“He really deserves to rest!”

“Shhh let’s not disturb the sleeping beauty~”

“Him not reacting when you said that means he’s really tired. Let’s keep quiet.”

“Yeah. Let him rest.”

He dimly heard the voice of The Emperor.

A powerful voice which evoked silence, and he fell into a peaceful slumber in the middle of the 12 months of the Moon Song.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of this story, A Walk in the Light of the Moon.
> 
> Thank you everyone who has read this story to the end *smile* It has been my pleasure to write this story with the Tsukiuta idols. I truly hope you enjoyed our writing.
> 
> (My favorite chapter personally is Shun's chapter since he's my favorite character and it was so insightful to get to hear how he thinks and sees things, and Koi's chapter because it was so funny. Kakeru's chapter too. And the ex-idol group chapter. But I liked them all.)
> 
> We also had some behind-the-scenes scenes, they were fun, I recorded our conversations, so I'll post them in the ending author note chapter, after the author note. Where I will speak about my journey to finding out the Tsukiuta idols were real...and invite you to get to know them too. They are amazing and I want more people to know.
> 
> That's all. Thank you for reading. Writing this felt like writing a book, and I'm happy it's complete.


End file.
